Ephesians 2:22
“in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”
God is the master builder. He is building a house for Himself and we are the building materials. Our television sets tell us that we don't get along. As we see scenes from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles we see robberies and senseless violence. The church is made up of imperfect people as well.
God calls us to join His church. We show up and learn that His primary rule is that we love Him and one another. From a God view we look like ants in a colony all going here and there attempting to meet whatever need we have. We both want that crumb. We work it out.
The church is so unique God wants it to be an advertisement to all as a place where all are welcome and can fit in. This wild collection of people seeking a place and to fill their needs, yet it works. The song from the seventies says, "They will know we are christians by our love."
What's also interesting about those of us that make up the church is that most aren't life's winners or the popular ones. I Corinthians 1:26, 27 says, "Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." The irony is strong.
This doesn't mean God doesn't love the popular. Many of them are in the church. There's something about being humble that God loves. He is humble. Some may ask, "Why does He want praise?" It's because it's the right thing. Look at creation. It's amazing, brilliant, beautiful and so on. It's a job well done. We should admit it.
God is a god of order. Creation demonstrates this. He gave commandments to order behavior. Not anything goes. If we ignore this order and His rules, we are fighting against nature. It wins. An obvious example is to respect gravity. Ignoring it can cause injury. So going against His order can injure.
God gave order for the church. The primary rule is love. He wants us to help the needy, but He also encourages work. He wants His Word taught. Acts 2:42 speaks of how church looked at the time of the apostles, "Now they were steadfastly continuing in the teaching of the apostles, and in the fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers." God's Word tells of His will and wishes. That's what our lives are to consist of.
As one spends time in church and His Word we learn of His will. Micah 6:8 says, "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Matthew West has a song which has a lyric, "Didn't You say that the church should look more like a hospital?" When did Jesus say that? Luke 5:30-32, 'The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling to His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners.”' He came for the sick. So should we.
Lord, thank You for the church. It gives us a place to belong, we learn of You and how we should treat others. It's a place for the humble. While it's made up of the weak it's magnificent and beautiful.