Here I Stand, Part 4

I have been the beneficiary of so much love from the church, that I cannot talk about where I stand without core principle #4, "God is relational." I know, I really went out on a limb on that one, didn't I? But, even though this truth is a very simple one, it is also very important. And, if you have read any of my previous blogs, you probably know that most of being a faithful Christian does not involve coming up with new and radical ideas, it is simply playing very close attention to that which has already been revealed. God is relational. All throughout the bible, God revealed himself in the relationships that he developed with people. God chose a covenant people so that his love and grace might be revealed through them. Put simply, God's love and grace are most powerfully revealed through the Holy Spirit in the midst of the beloved covenant community. It is through Christ's church that the kingdom of God should be manifest. That means we (the church) do not exist in order that we might win our ticket to heaven. We exist to be put to use by God so that his "kingdom come," and his "will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." God is relational. Here I stand.