Unicorn. A single corn.

Here is a Scripture study from our rehearsal this past Wednesday. Thought you might like to see what we talked about.

Big Idea:
God is not ignorant of our loneliness. He is warmly personal.

Scriptural Anchor:
Romans 15: 1-7 (MSG)

1 Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status.2 Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”3 That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it.4 Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next.5 May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all.6 Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!7 So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory. Jesus did it; now you do it!

This is an amazing passage!

Often times, when we feel lonely, excluded, used, forgotten or on the outside, we feel that we are the only one who understands our situation. The assumption that no one understands is the vehicle that we ride in, allowing us to comfort ourselves in our own misery. But here we see that God is a deeply understanding and warmly personal God who sets the example for those of us who are Christ followers. This is how we are to act and behave toward others around us who may be in need or even in crisis. We can become part of the solution just by extending the same personal character traits of Jesus to others. We may even overcome some of our own issues with loneliness in the process!

Questions:

- Do we view God as “Warmly Personal” and “Understanding”?
- How has our view of God impacted the way we’ve treated others who may be in need – positively or negatively?
- Can a solution for our problem be found in helping others find a solution for theirs – by living as an extension of a “warmly personal” Christ?