God always has a remnant that are His.
Elijah in his lament to the Lord…
“He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”” 1 Kings 19:14
And in the Lord’s response to Elijah …
“Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” 1 Kings 14:18
Throughout the OT and NT you can study this ‘remnant’ idea. I aspire to be part of that ‘company’ called the ‘remnant’.
In Acts 15 the whole debate came up about Gentile believers (you and I), and how God chose them as well, and were called by His Name. This was the distinction within The Way leadership that God was adopting more into His ‘Chosen’ family.
And these are the same days. Many, many, are religious in their lives, going about their Saturday / Sunday routines, services, and rituals. But the remnant seeks Him rather than the ritual. I understand the the ritual may help some, but the real ‘help’ comes to those who have invited Him to dwell within them with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Yet there is still a remnant in the institution of the church. And so many have left and others continue to leave the institution seeking a deeper life in Jesus.
Those of that ‘tribe’ are looking for reformation in their walk with Him, to go beyond the plateau of stagnation and ritual. They are the ‘nones’ and ‘dones’. They are done with all the layers between them and Him and everyone else. They are filled with questions and like to discuss and search the scriptures together. They seek out one another for encouragement and prayer. So many have been past leaders within the institution and have labored long and faithfully never to find real traction but forced into one man’s vision only for that local community. Their hope for their local Body never realized. They are not disgruntled, angry, or embittered, in fact they are the faithful ones.
Now they are in pursuit of something that is REAL… yet unknown. They like Abraham have left their old place and set out to follow the Shepherd-Jesus to a place beyond the ‘walls’ and current expression of the church. They are developing new practices, postures, gatherings, and yet still dealing with the old paradoxes.
So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. Romans 11:5
This is the life of those who have terminally committed their very lives to Christ. They are passionate and dedicated to Him. Nothing but Jesus is their goal. They crave His Presence and Words. They have set their eyes on Him and Him alone. They are working to allow the Holy Spirit to change them into the very design and plan the Father had in mind when He created them.
They are the .. remnant of God.
This is who I write for. This is my tribe. This is who I pray for. This is who I want to encourage.