I Am There

Jesus said, "If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." Matthew 18:15-20

The seven of us who have come here to Texas, have been constantly challenged to figure out how to use the materials we are being shown. The richest part of our time together has been our time together, laughing and wondering out loud how we can help our people in our various communities. I believe,the joy and challenges we share will become the place where we find where God is leading us. I expect we will find Christ in our midst as we call out together in prayer, right here where we struggle to serve.

Jesus teaches the people how to be community, how to resolve the conflicts among them. And he invites us to imagine even those who have wounded us and who will not cooperate, are to be loved as Jesus loved the outcasts and ate with them. He also promises that when we are together, when we are committed to one another and to God, he will be right there with us all.

Today I ask God to help us hold one another anticipating Divine presence and Divine direction. May we labor and love together, expecting that God will bless our work with presence and direction, so that we might bring love incarnate to the world.







The Collect
Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.