I want to be a farmer...why?
God said, be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it. Genesis 1:28 God is good. Psalm 34:8 What comes from him is good and perfect. Every good and perfect thing comes from him James 1:17. The breath in your lungs is the very Good and perfect moment by moment gift. I have no biblical back up for this, but I don't think it could not be true, that if God stopped thinking of you for one moment of time, you would cease to exist for that moment. We are utterly and totally dependent on God and His creation, and we are perhaps at least 5 to 6000 years existing but have not yet in that time learned how to love as Christ has commanded us, nor care for his creation as he has commanded us, saying be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. He has made us stewards over his creation.
Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. All that he saw was good when he created it Genesis 1:25, and he saw we were very good when he created us.
Genesis 1:31 Then we disobeyed God and all of creation fell under the curse Romans 8.18-22. Now all creation groans in waiting for the redemption of men, the children of God. Creation awaits and we long for Christ to return and he said EXPLOIT the world until I come? No, he said GIVE THE LAND NO REST AND USE IT UP, IT IS ALL GOING TO BE REPLACED ANYWAY? No, he said OCCUPY until I come Luke 19:13. So He has made us stewards.
1 Peter 4.10 -7 "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen"
So we continue going into all the world making disciples of all nations teaching them to obey all that he commanded us. Matthew 28:19 Thus obeying what new commandment? That we love one another, even as he loved us. John 13.34 John said in his first book, that this is love 1 Jn 3.16, that the divine one came down from heaven to be as a man, stripping himself of his glory Phil 2.7, he became sin who knew no sin 2 Cor 5.21 hanging on the cross as a curse for our sake Gal 3.13. We are to be like Him 1Jn 2.6. We are to go and do likewise. Luke 10.37 We are to love as He has loved Jn 13.34.
In our faith, we believe in what Christ has done, and are united with Him in death Romans 6.5. In that unity we are also raised with him Col 3.1 to a new life where we are free to boldly approach The Father Heb 4.16 Jn 14.6, practicing now for the eternity we are getting ready for Jn 3.16.
This is Community that we have been given the privilege of sharing with the world. Now with the Hospitality that the Lord offers to us, we also can offer that hospitality to others. We are the Lord’s hands in feet I Cor 12.27 now in the world who are able to care for the least of our brothers and sisters. Matt 25:40 The world is still full of weak, hurting, and imprisoned souls needing to be healed, strengthened, and set free.
One of the ways Sarah and I see a chance for doing this is through living in community with others, we can synergize our resources to seek first the kingdom of God Matt 6.33 by offering space for people to grow who are not thriving in the present worlds system Rom12.1. We know so many whose struggle seems to come from a combination of deep emotional trauma matched with an impatient system extending hands of service who are not allowed to love or offer a diverse network of family. As brothers and sisters of the Family of God, a nation of priests 1 Peter 2.9, we want to extend the Father’s offer of family to the least of these.