When God wanted to meet with the Israelites, He called them out of their comfort zones as we read in Exodus 19:17:  “Then Moses led them out of the camp to meet with God and they stood at the foot of the mountain.” Exodus 19:17

While the Israelites were a "nomadic" people at  the time of their encounter with God, they still had the "comfort" of home in the tents they set up everywhere they traveled.  God called them out of their "neighborhood" to the foot of the mountain where He would meet them.  When God wants to meet with us He sometimes calls us beyond our comfort zones as well.  This Sunday we'll be starting our 40 Days of Community series.  We'll be talking about how God calls us to live, serve and love one another TOGETHER.  That's beyond the comfort zone of many Americans, because as Americans we prize our individualism.  God created us for community and calls us to be in community.  That goes against the stream of our culture as well as beyond our individual comfort zones.

I challenge you to do what the Israelites did:  take the step beyond the comfort zone and experience an encounter with God as you may never have experienced Him before.  Take the step with expectancy. Take the step with hesitation, if you must, but take the step!  We were created for life together.  As we've already mentioned the first thing (and only thing before sin entered the world) that wasn't good was for the man to be ALONE.   Life is a team sport.  Life is meant to be lived in community.  Take the step into the life God intends for us to live--and why not jump into it by participating in a LIFE Group, by coming here every day during the 40 Days for a daily time in God's word, and by initiating conversations with the folks around you each day.  It will be challenging, but on the other side of the 40 Days you'll be closer to God and others than you've ever been.  All it takes is one step, then the next, and the next...

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, thank You for creating us for community!  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may live into that blessing in our homes, with brothers and sisters from New Life and with new folks You bring across our path today and throughout the 40 Days of Community.  Give us the desire to live in relationship with You and others, and the commitment to take one step after the next to Your glory and praise.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.