POST 26: Who God Is Reveals What Belonging Looks Like
POST 26
Who God Is Reveals What Belonging Looks Like
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the church, we call this the Trinity.
The Trinity can be, well, complicated. Basically, God is one essence expressed in three persons. Many have tried to use illustrations to explain the Trinity—from the three parts of an egg (shell, egg white, and yolk) to the states of water (solid, liquid, and gas).
None of these illustrations, however, fully explain the Trinity. So don’t worry if it’s confusing to you; the Trinity is a mystery to us all.
But have you ever wondered how the three persons—Father, Son, and Spirit—relate to one another?
One prayer of the early church (recorded in 2 Corinthians 13:14) highlights three aspects of God’s character revealed in the three persons of the Trinity: grace, love, and fellowship. These traits of God are key to God’s internal unity.
You see, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are equal and eternal parts of the Trinity, but they are all distinctly unique parts. They each have a specific role and function. The Father creates, the Son redeems, and the Holy Spirit sets apart and empowers. Yet, in some mysterious and beautiful way, they cooperate and are fully present with one another.
Though God is one, the Father and the Son enjoy mutual love and partnership in the Spirit. That’s why the biblical author John can say, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). God is love because God extends and receives love within Godself. God is one, and God is also a community.
Out of Unity Comes Community
Now let’s turn from God to us. What does all this mean for humans? We were born out of this loving unity among the Trinity. We were not created out of loneliness or need but out of divine love. We were created for community.
The three aspects of God’s character shared earlier—grace, love, and fellowship—are also important traits of a connected community. For people to exist in harmony, we need to love one another, we need to extend grace and forgiveness, and we need to work to build camaraderie and intimacy in our relationships.
Just as the Father, the Son, and the Spirit belong to one another, so we belong to one another. Just as God exists in a community that fully supports and cooperates together, we were created to do the same.
What does it look like when we fully support and cooperate with one another as God’s image bearers? That’s true belonging.
READING GOD’S WORD
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV)
This is why I kneel before the Father. Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him. I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. (Ephesians 3:14–17)
Journaling Questions
Why is community important?
Do you see grace, love, and fellowship displayed in your community? How so?
How can you extend grace, show love, and pursue fellowship in your community?
Pray This Prayer
God, you exist eternally as three persons in a loving community. Since we are created in your image, we, too, are created to belong to a loving community. I thank you that you do not leave us alone, but you have put it in our hearts to belong to one another. Help me to be a supportive, loving, grace-filled person in my community. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Grace, love, and fellowship. Make a list of how you can show these traits of God to someone in your community. Commit to taking one idea from your list and acting on it this week.
THE TAKEAWAY
God created us to live in community just like God exists eternally in community: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.