ekklesia

Somehow, sometimes, we just get down right lucky.  Or better said as luck has nothing to do with this - we got *blessed*. 

We started attending a house church a while ago that friends of ours are pastoring and it is a lot of things we have always thought a church family should be.  They really read chapters of the Bible - out loud.  They talk about it with great care.  They really like learning about it all.

They care about each other.

They talk and learn about some things that have been a little lost in translation over a couple of thousand of years - and one of those ideas is "ekklesia".  Properly translated, an ekklesai is a "congregation" or a local meeting, and in the context of the Bible, a local congregation meeting of believers.  

Or better said than I can communicate:  "Usually the Greek term represents God’s people as distinguished from others, thus called out (ek “out” and klētos “called”) of the world."

And, if the rabbi I was talking about previously knows his stuff - and that we as the 'ekklesia' have a few jobs to do here on earth - we are finding out this group of folks really know how to "shade" their people; how to "guard" them and how to "keep" them.

They have poured out the love of God on us.  Anytime you are sick there are incredible, crazy little things that end up costing a lot of out of pocket money. They have made sure we have money to get to the gas station and the drug store and help with dietary restrictions.

They have sent cards and messages and encouragements almost daily.  They have become our "ekklesia" - our core group that shares our hardships, our burden, our deepest cares.

This is how it looks to us visibly:

This bouquet of flowers has been sitting on our dining room table for a couple of weeks.  It is the brightest, most creative, biggest piece of "eye-candy" we have in the room.  I keep looking at it and think of summer when hopefully my treatments will be coming to an end.  I keep looking at it thinking of the care it took to make it.  I keep looking at it and it makes the day brighter because it's full of beautiful bright colors and my soul just drinks it up on gray days.

This is a pink t-shirt that is now hanging on our curtain rod.  I cried the first time I  saw it - it has great meaning to me.  I had a pretty rough Saturday night a couple of weeks ago because sometimes when I feel better I think I am better and forget to take my meds.  I got shaky and sick and laid down in bed and Scott hung this up in my line of vision and I read it and re-read it.

They listened to what God had told me and made it tangible, touchable, memorable, and mostly that night - comforting. 

I don't have pictures of the kind offers of an ear to listen no matter what the time; or a driver to give Scott  a break or help with bad roads; or help with whatever is falling through the cracks and needing done.

I didn't take pictures of the gas pump and how much it is costing us to travel.  I didn't take pictures of the car repair bill that makes traveling an hour and 40 minutes each way feel much safer.  I didn't take a picture of them praying for us earnestly and constantly.

I can't take a picture of the love that they have surrounded us with throughout this whole mayhem.  But I can tell you they are getting a lot of things right - they have guarded us and kept us in a way that has indeed kept some harmful things stand outside our doors.  

Each card they send, each email, each message given has been nothing but comfort for us weary and heavy of heart.  A large shade tree of  protection from the hot glaring sun.

These are some of the dearest, most caring, kindest folks in a 3 state area.  They live what they learn.  God has truly blessed us by being a part of these people, by being loved by them, by being covered by their prayers. 

And I think we can honestly state that we are not sure where we would be right now without their care.  God is still tutoring me about *community* -- and these folks are the classroom I'm sitting in.

I told Scott when this all started that this looks like it is going to be a very humbling year for me - for a lot of reasons - physically, financially, mentally.  I don't like being on this end of the "needing help". 

They have made the "humbling" a little easier, a little less harsh.  Knowing that there are ones walking this with you - praying this with you - helping you with this all - is truly God's community working.

Right?