The Quilt

I love the church.

Not a local church building or even my church here in the city (although I do love my church here in the city). No, I mean the church. The universal body of believers. The people on this earth that make up the family of God. Those of us who have been adopted as sons and daughters.

I love that the invisible church spans miles. As Christians, we have brothers and sisters in the next town, state, country, and across the oceans. The God that I worship here in America is being worshipped by other fellow heirs with Christ all over the world! It's fascinating really. But you know what I find most lovely about the church? It's made up of imperfect people. 

Hear me out. 

As humans, we are fallible. We are messed up, sinful creatures. Apart from Christ, we are nothing. But that's where it gets beautiful. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, the atoning work of Christ on the cross covers our sins. So the Father has now taken those of us who were sinners and has turned us into saints. Taken our sadness and turned it into joy. Healed our wounds and set us free. Do we still sin? Yes. Do we still get sad? Of course. Do we still hurt? Sometimes we will. Is life sunshine and butterflies? Not always. Will people--even brothers and sisters in Christ--wrong us and make us angry? You betcha. Why? Because they aren't perfect. And neither are we. Until we reach heaven's gates, that's just how it's gonna be. But God takes all of us imperfect saints and knits us together like a mismatched patchwork quilt, united in Christ. And it's beautiful. That's His church.  

His church that is made to worship Him.

His church that is equipped, through the gifts of His Spirit, to build each other up.

His church that He uses to advance His kingdom. 

We are that invisible church. Deeply loved and known by Him. All united together as Christ's Bride. And we eagerly wait for the day He calls us home.

It doesn't get more beautiful than that.