For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Romans 12:4-5 NIV)
RESONATE – to be filled with a deep, full, reverberating sound. Something that resonates fills a space.
Have you ever noticed how, in a dry, barren landscape, the only lush areas are often found where trees grow beside a creek or river? God designed those plants to seek out water—and where there’s water, life flourishes. In that small, green space along the river, you might find all kinds of animals living together: turtles, frogs, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, deer—a little community gathered around a life source.
In the Old Testament—set in the arid lands of the ancient Middle East—wells were vital for survival. Water sustained people, livestock, and crops, but wells were also a central gathering place for the community. They were places of connection and relationship, not just survival.
At camp last week, we talked about how God designed us to live in community. Children are placed within the small community of a family, and those families belong to larger communities—churches, schools, towns. Within those communities, we create life together.
When people truly resonate with one another—especially under the guidance of the Shekinah presence of the Holy Spirit—they can create incredibly beautiful and meaningful works of art.
And by “art,” I don’t mean just traditional visual arts like painting, ceramics, or photography. I’m using the word broadly to include drama, dance, music, and all kinds of creative expression. Even Olympic ice dancing, rhythmic gymnastics, and synchronized swimming are forms of artistic movement.
Film is art, too. I was amazed to learn that it often takes 300 to 500 people to bring a major film to life—movies like Inside Out, Moana, Frozen, and those in the Marvel universe. These are powerful examples of what can happen when a community of people works together, resonating in creative harmony.
In the same way, our Creator God calls us to carry and share the Living Water of Jesus—and as we resonate with others in community, we can create beautiful, life-giving art that can bless the world.
May that Living Water flow through us and help those around us flourish. AMEN.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24 NIV)
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1 NIV)
Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Philippians 2:2 NIV)