Dear Church Family,
As I type that greeting I realize that I am guilty of redundancy. I have used excessive words in my salutation. The opening I have used to start these devotions since mid-March are unnecessarily repetitive. I have already written almost forty words pointing that I violated a rule of writing that I diligently try to follow and that is to use as few words as possible.
I lovingly open with “Dear Church Family” to let you know I write with a pastor’s heart to not just any family, but to the “Church Family” God has called me to serve. The love I have for this church is surpassed only by the love I have for Jesus and for my biological family. I hope you can say the same without reservation. Just writing this reminds of Ambra Garrison (Sandy Massey’s mother) who when her health allowed, affectionately yearned “to be with my church.”
The church Ambra loved to be with was not the beautiful building with which God has blessed us. She wanted to be with God’s people. Please remember the church of Jesus Christ consists of people who, per the 63rd Question of the Larger Catechism, “profess the true religion.” By grace we are people who, to paraphrase our membership vows, confess we are sinners who deserve God’s judgment, have no hope without His sovereign mercy and rest upon the finished work of Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
The next question in the Larger Catechism goes on to detail “the special privileges of the visible church.” I will focus on one for several days though all merit close attention. The church has “the privilege of…enjoying the communion of saints.” Did you your heart just start to beat faster reading that last sentence? God has blessed the people of the church with a special bond termed communion. Ephesians 2:19, 21 state, as the church, we are “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household” …”joined together and rise to become a holy temple of God.”
That is just the start of the unique blessing we enjoy as a church family. Stay tuned for more!
Living by grace to His glory,
Pastor Gillikin