Shirley承认，她小时所属的社群是相当自我中心的，这个社群中每一个人都有相似的外貌、背景、和信仰。然而，她的人生经历多方面扩展和加深了她对社群的看法；上大学增进了她对社群的认识，迁移到另一个城市更强化了她的看法，而今天的科技、全球化、交通、和其他机会，继续增强她这方面的感受。她固然仍然记着儿时生活背景中的美好回忆和友善的人，但她也很感恩，因为她可以与来自世界各地、有不同背景、信仰体系、和经历的人交朋友。
神展望的社群，比以色列民想像中的要大得多。在以赛亚书中，衪说万民都要流归这山，那些人将要流归主前，不是因为他们是多么伟大，而是因为神是多么伟大。
当我们对社群的看法得以扩展和继续增长时，神便会把来自各方的人带到我们面前，他们会有不同的背景和经历，然而，他们会被我们吸引前来，因为在我们生命中的神是一位爱人的神！衪爱你，衪也爱聚集在你周围的每一个人；衪爱你的社群，这就是你的社群能成长来接纳各种不同的人的原因。在神的展望中，衪的子民的社群不是停滞不前的，它乃是不断在增长的。
父啊，求你帮助我们的社群能不断增长，好叫我们接纳你带来进入我们生命里的每一个人。奉耶稣名祈求，阿们。
以赛亚书 2:1-5
1亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚得默示，论到犹大和耶路撒冷。
2末后的日子，耶和华殿的山必坚立超乎诸山，高举过于万岭，万民都要流归这山。
3必有许多国的民前往，说：“来吧！我们登耶和华的山，奔雅各神的殿。主必将他的道教训我们，我们也要行他的路，因为训诲必出于锡安，耶和华的言语必出于耶路撒冷。”
4他必在列国中施行审判，为许多国民断定是非。他们要将刀打成犁头，把枪打成镰刀。这国不举刀攻击那国，他们也不再学习战事。
5雅各家啊，来吧，我们在耶和华的光明中行走！
"The mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established . . . and all nations will stream to it." - Isaiah 2:2
Shirley admits that the community she knew as a child was quite inward-focused. Everyone looked the same and had similar backgrounds and beliefs. But the experiences of her life have widened and deepened her sense of community in many ways. College increased her sense of community. A move to a different city increased it yet again. Technology, globalization, transportation, and different opportunities continue to increase it today. While she continues to hold on to the good things and loving people from her childhood background, she is thankful also to have friends across the world from a variety of backgrounds, belief systems, and experiences.
God has envisioned a much larger community than his people in Israel ever imagined. In Isaiah, he says that people from all nations will stream in. All of those people will come rushing to the Lord not because of how great they are, but because of how great God is.
As our idea of community broadens and grows, God will bring people to us from all areas of life. They will have different backgrounds and experiences, but they will be drawn to us because of who God is in our lives. God loves people! He loves you, and he loves everyone who gathers around you. He loves your community and is the reason that it grows to include all types of people. The community that God envisions for his people is not a stagnant one but a growing one.
Father, grow our community and cause us to be accepting of all the people you bring into our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
