Montana Gary's Insight

Montana Gary sent me a very interesting email that I thought you all would appreciate regarding living in community.

“In my devotional reading (through the Bible chronologically this year), I am struck by two factors so obvious as to be overlooked.

1. God always starts with a man, gives him a vision, gives him a mission, expands his influence, builds a community of people to Himself. Whether Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, each one has an encounter with God, a developing relationship with God, over a period of time takes that relationship to extended family, leads those in his influence closer to God, and is noted as a man of faith. To protect from untimely knowledge from a source other than God to what God wanted to create among mankind to the saving of many lives, God always begins with the one and moves to the many through him.

2. God always gives guidelines for community. As the Bible history of man unfolds, God is consistently passing to man guidelines both for living with Him and living in community. It is inescapable that from Eden on, God tries to establish relationships both with man and between men. Guidelines for relating to God, guidelines for living in community before God. Think of the guidelines given Adam, to Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and then Moses—these all promote community with God and with man. The commands of Exodus and ordinances of Leviticus promote relationship with God, rightness between men, and the general welfare and order before God.
I have appreciated this series and the broadness of your perspective from the Word and writers of bygone days. You encourage my soul and spirit to go deeper and I thank you for that prodding.”

How blessed I am to have a friend like Gary.