Recently, I saw a beautiful video on how snowflakes are formed. No two of these beautiful crystal formations are alike. At one point in the video, a long-haired dog runs through the snow catching the small white sparkly patterned pieces of frozen water molecules in his fur. The author described this cute frolicking canine as a literal art museum of thousands of works of divine art.
Humans are also very individual in design. We all have unique patterns of DNA arrangements. Our minds are all different and compounded by a variety life experiences. I have three sisters and even though we were born into the same family, all four of us are uniquely different. We don't have the exact same pattern of DNA nor do we have the the same exact life experiences.
Every born-again believer in the New Testament era has the opportunity to receive the gift of holy spirit. Through Jesus Christ we have full access to this gift and it uniquely resides in each of us. Each one of us develops as a member of the body of Christ to worship God and love others in very unique ways (I Corinthians 12:11-27). Through the spirit, God works within us to do his works of love.
Our individuality to God is priceless. God loves to speak to the heart of an individual. He loves to strengthen and encourage individuals. In the Old Testament God spoke to people through others. God speaks to us now through the spirit and through His word. He can still talk to us through others when he needs to, but God prefers to come to each of us.
The 'church' of God is not a building but a collection of those who are tapped in to God. 'Church' can be at home, in school, at a playground, on the beach, in an elevator, even on the telephone, in texts and zooms or just about anywhere those who love God gather. The 'church' lives within and around the hearts of his spiritual sons and daughters.
Know ye not that ye (plural) are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16
The groups of people who gathered around God's word at the time of the 1st century were very different from some of what we see in some 'churches' today. Jesus said that where ever 'two or three are gathered in my name' that he would be among them (Matthew 18:20). People in the time of the book of Acts got together daily. The word was interwoven in their lives and conversation often was in the form of thankfulness. Each person in the community had a unique contribution to each other. When people support, encourage, and remind one another how involved God is in their lives, people absolutely flourish, increase in strength and enjoy life more. That is what the 'church' is meant to be.
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