A "Colored People"

As I lay here on the couch with my feet elevated, recuperating from the drama which occurred yesterday and preparing for a sermon I am preaching on Sunday I came across something I wrote back in January on our differences as the people of God as we live and come together for times of corporate worship. I thought that it kind of paralleled my post the other day about each of us created as anomalies of God...

We all have our differences. For some the distance of difference may be wider than others. We lead different lives, pursue different programs, teach different disciplines, perform different occupations, and come out of different backgrounds--all of which could potentially drive us away from each other. We are a "colored" people in more ways than just the pigment of our skin. However, the most vivid, vibrant color of our lives is that of the blood of Christ. Through Christ we participate in our identity as the redeemed.

Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:23-29

But our differences or rather our uniquenesses derive from divine intent. We are created to be unique but we are also created very similar. Ultimately, we are created to participate in relationship by God who exists in relationship.

This is just a moment of participation in the reality of our redemption. Let us commune together now and every day giving glory to God who created us for community--to love Him and to love others. May our uniqueness serve to point to our distinctiveness that is community through salvation in Christ.