Jesus Saves Us Into A Community

The oft-repeated Lord’s Prayer begins like this: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.” (Matthew 6:9 KJV) Do you notice anything just absolutely remarkable about this line? There is so much to say here, but for now, I’d like to draw your attention to the first two words: “Our Father.” The Bible says that when you pray, go “into your room and shut the door” (Matthew 6:6) and then say … “Our Father.” But, if we are praying alone, where is this “Our” coming from? We are called to pray “Our Father” because Jesus saves us individually and into a community with other Christians. You are not alone. And with our increasing isolation and negativity in the social media age, this community may be the exact answer we need for our loneliness epidemic.

Encouraging, Vulnerable, Committed Community

The number of people experiencing mental health challenges is increasing. [1] Meanwhile, Americans are reporting having historically low numbers of close friends, and most do not receive emotional support from a friend during the average week. [2] The Bible has just the answer for these problems—Jesus saves us into an encouraging, vulnerable, committed community.

Three Components of Biblical Community

First, we are saved into a Christian community, a global church, that will help “restore” us with a “spirit of gentleness.” (Galatians 6:1) This is to encourage us so that we can build each other up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) 

Second, we need not be afraid to reveal our transgressions, our faults, and our iniquities. Rather, we are called to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) To bear one another’s burdens, we must know one another’s burdens. We must know what’s actually going on in each other’s lives. This is admittedly tough, and being vulnerable is hard. But, in doing so, we can take heart in discovering a community that actually understands the real us. 

And finally, not just any community. A “household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). Generally, we don’t just abandon our households and our families. Despite the growing pains, our differences, and our conflicts, we stick with them. Jesus calls us into a heavenly community that will stick with us, too. Yes, despite our flaws, Yes, you. 

Conclusion

Today, let’s radically reimagine what a Christian community can be. Perhaps the answer to our loneliness has been Jesus and His church all along. Are you ready to take the plunge, or are you still hesitant and unsure? Come and see for yourself.  

I pray that this month the Lord would fill you with all joy and peace in believing, and that you would feel the gentle and loving embrace of an encouraging, vulnerable, and committed Christian community.

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References

[1] Gramlich, John. “Mental Health and the Pandemic: What U.S. Surveys Have Found.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 2 Mar. 2023, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/03/02/mental-health-and-the-pandemic-what-u-s-surveys-have-found/. 

[2] Cox, Daniel A. “The State of American Friendship: Change, Challenges, and Loss.” The Survey Center on American Life, 7 Apr. 2022, www.americansurveycenter.org/research/the-state-of-american-friendship-change-challenges-and-loss/.

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Yet, I’m sure that all of us can relate to compromising our sleep. Whether for work, school, family, friends, or something else … Sometimes, it seems like when things get tough or busy, our sleep is the first thing to go.

As Christians especially, we can have a tendency to neglect sleep for the sake of doing good. Certainly, there can be times when we ought not to sleep (see Luke 22:39-46). But, as image-bearers of God, we are meant to rest because God rested (Genesis 2:1-3). As humans, one way through which we rest is through sleep (John 11:13). 

We shouldn’t needlessly compromise our sleep and rest. I definitely know that I often compromise my sleep for the sake of entertainment, perhaps staying up late to watch YouTube or to browse social media. In our modern culture of busyness and distraction, we are probably often doing too much and not sleeping and resting enough. But Jesus’ example of radical sleep should reiterate that we might not be sleeping enough.

Sleep as Humility and Trust Amidst the Storm

Mark 4 recounts an illuminating story about Jesus and his disciples during a particular night.

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

In this story, Jesus slept even when it did not make sense. The storm was at hand, the boat was threatening to sink, and yet Jesus was … asleep?! Why? Because Jesus trusted in the Lord and in His power and protection. To us today, it can sometimes seem like there’s always more that we could be doing. We want control and certainty amidst our storms. But, it can be an act of humility and trust to sleep and have faith that our destiny is in Jesus’ hands. Like the Disciples, we have Jesus with us always until the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20). This Sleep Awareness Week (and beyond!), I pray that we will let ourselves sleep both more and more soundly and fully, seeking what Psalm 4:8 describes:

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;

for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Sleep well!!

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What does the New Year mean to you? Often, we can think of Jan 1 as the day to begin a New Year’s resolution. It’s the time to finally start going to the gym and taking that yoga class, to try out some pottery lessons, to learn a new language. For this Mental Health Wellness Month, I wanted to think about what it might mean to approach the New Year from a mental health-positive and Christ-centered perspective.

The Biblical Importance of Rest

I think we can sometimes think of improvement to our lives or self-care as needing to do something more for ourselves. We think to start a new activity, when what we actually need to do is to do less. In our society that values productivity and efficiency, doing less might be what we need to avoid burnout and to live within our limits. The Bible also shows that Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to spend time with God.

First, it is clear that the Bible calls us to rest. Just as we are called to work, we are also called to rest. As Christians, we should not neglect the importance of rest to our health and mental health. Scripture tells us that “God created man in his own image” (Genesis 1:27). As His image-bearers, each of us should aspire to emulate the character and activities of God. This includes the practice of rest.

The Sabbath

In Genesis, after God created the heavens and the earth, “on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” (Genesis 2:2-3). God worked, and thus we also ought to work. God rested, and thus we also ought to rest.

I think these verses also reveal that God’s purpose for rest is different than how we often think about rest. We are told that, “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary[.]” (Isaiah 40:28) But if God does not faint or grow weary, why would He need to rest? This can be confusing for us because we often seek rest because we cannot work or engage in productive activities without rest. Thus, we rest for work. For God, rest has a purpose in itself entirely apart from work. God rests for rest. Rest is itself good. 

Yes, it’s a great thing that rest makes us more productive. Yes, it’s a good thing to seek forms of rest that clear our mind, make us more energized, and prepare us better for the next day. But, we don’t always have to seek efficiency and productivity in rest just as we do in work. We can rest for rest’s sake. Our rest doesn’t have to be connected to our work, and God tells us that rest was designed for a greater purpose.

Rest in Stillness and Peace for Mental Health Wellness Month

What did rest look like for Jesus? The Bible indicates that in the midst of doing powerful ministry work and with countless demands for his time and presence, Jesus rested by going to places where he could be alone to pray and to be with God. In Luke, “great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray” (Luke 5:15-16).

As we enter a new year, many of us embark on New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps this year we can experiment with a form of countercultural wellness in which we do less instead of more. Rather than feel like we need to rack up another achievement or start a new hobby, we can say No to our culture of constant activity and say Yes to stillness and rest. And, by being more alone, maybe we will discover that we are never truly alone. Maybe we will discover more fully what Jesus meant when he told his disciples, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 8:20).

I hope that you had an amazing and peaceful holiday season. And I pray that the new year will be another opportunity for positive change in your life!

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