Holy and beloved

I was at Covenant Council last weekend, and our new bishop talked about Colossians 3:12-17. She said it was her "life scripture."

1. We are God's chosen ones -- holy and beloved. We are God's chosen ones -- holy and beloved, no matter what. Nothing anyone does can change that -- it can't be taken away from us, and nothing we do can change it.

What difference does it make if we as a church see ourselves as holy and beloved? How does it affect our church if we believe we are important to God?

2. Bear with one another -- We are holy and beloved, but that doesn't mean we will have an easy life. We may not always agree -- and we need to remember that the person with whom we disagree is holy and beloved. How does that change how we live as a church? We need to remember to listen and hear the other, who is also holy and beloved.

3. What role does forgivness play in living out our calling to be aa church? Forgiveness will be needed at times. It is one of the healing powers of God. We need to remember that holding back forgiveness hurts us, not the person who is not being forgiven. Forgivness is necessary for us to live and work together.

4. Cloth yourselves in love. The bishop compared this to music. She said that there are times when we are living as a church when one person will bring a note of disharmony into the music. There is beauty in that, as we work toward resolution. There are wonderful possiblities for resolution that we have never even thought of before -- a new place, a place of God.

5. Teach and admonish each other in widsom. What does that say to you about being a church? We have not yet arrived. When in moments of conflict or evaluation, we can ask ourselves -- what is it that I need to hear in this conversation? What do I need to learn?

6. Be intentional -- claim the person you say that you are. If you believe, then your actions will follow your belief. Behavior follows belief. Think of another James passaage -- faith without works is dead. It doens't mean that what we do earns us grace -- it means that our behavior will follow our beliefs.