Of course, another great message from the gifted Amanda this past Sunday.  Amanda and Blake make a powerful dynamic duo for Christ!  Amanda spoke about another one of God’s names, among His many – Yahweh-Rapha.   Rapha means healer.  God is our healer.  And because we are sons and daughters of God, we are also healers.  Our lives are to point to and be a reflection of our Heavenly Father.  

But maybe you’re like me and not feeling all that healed and how could your life possibly point to Jesus when you’re still dealing with your “stuff?”  News flash, we are always going to be dealing with our “stuff.”  In my opinion, I/we will never be shiny and clean enough and perfect enough to feel worthy enough to be a light to Jesus.  Thankfully, Jesus can shine in and through us despite of ourselves.  I’m not saying that we are junk, because God created us, we are pretty awesome.  We just have our sin and we live in our sinful world and we will have our issues that can get in the way of being a light.  We just have to be open to being a light.  We need to not live our lives under a bushel basket, figuratively or literally.

I could easily stay at home, hiding from the messiness of community.  I could hide by being closed off to other people.  I could not allow people in, keep to myself, not go out of my way to help, or I could just throw some money at a problem and not get involved.  We are CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT people!!  We are meant to SHINE.  We are not meant to be islands, keeping to ourselves.  By not jumping in to the bitter water with the rest of humanity, we waste what God has created – US!

But it can be hard.  Especially for people like me, who are introverts.  I would rather just dip my toes into the water with strangers but would be perfectly willing to dive deep for loved ones.  I think that is why we are to be in community with fellow believers.  So, we can link arms with those who are willing to dive deep for complete strangers, who will nudge, pull, or drag us along (when we need it) into the mess of life to help others.  When one is not in regular community with God’s people, it’s so easy to sit on the sidelines and watch.  To believe that other people will take care of the needs.  That, you’re just one person, how can that possibly make a difference?

Guess what?  It does make a difference.  YOU are important.  God created you for what only YOU can do.  When you don’t participate in God’s story, other people miss out.  You may think you have nothing to offer, but that is a lie.  Everyone is an important part of the body of Christ. 

So, where can you and I become uncomfortable?  Where can we step out in faith to be a healer to those in our community?  Maybe we start with asking those closest to us to pray for us to be brave?  Maybe we volunteer somewhere we know there’s a need? Maybe we lead a group?  Reach out to someone you know is hurting?  Invite that person into your world?  Enter the community of believers on a regular basis to offer your presence and gifts?  Where is God calling you to be?

If you missed this message or Blake’s last week about Elohim, I hope you’ll go listen to it here.