Being The Church

Ok, so here's the thoughts I have about today. I attended a little different kind of church service today. Yep, it was us, as 'The Church' walking and talking and sharing our prayer requests and being....yep, just being in Him. Sharing thoughts, asking questions of each other with no condemnation, no judgements, no hidden agendas, and no lack of the love we have for each other in Christ. We met at a local park, discovered some beautiful trails with a lake and flowers and wildlife and just the sweetest communion with God, His saints and nature. See the thing that is so cool here is that we really don't know each other that well. Some of us, know one other or two or what have you...but the huge part of this particular day of blessing for me was that I probably shared more today with 'The Church' than I have ever shared with my regular church. I guess the Lord allowed us the freedom to be real, not perfect, but able to come alongside each other because of our bond in Christ. There was some tentativeness felt, I guess as I let the Lord lead me in this. Sometimes this is hard for me, because I get in the way of His gentle guidance so often....but today....He touched me and gave me assurance that this was a very good thing to have been a part of. I was moved to ask for prayer for my son, who needs Jesus in his life, and who needs a job this summer. I was moved to pray some unshared prayers as well, and I think this is ok. He was there, in us and amongst us. He heard them all.
This verse spoke to me last night and I shared it today. It makes my heart leap.

1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

With Him living in and through me He is showing me how to do the same.