Pursuing the Diversity of NYC

The first smell that hits you as you enter a west African market is the spices. Oh, the spices. Cinnamon, onion, coriander, cumin, saffron… Oh yes, the wonderful spices. They mix their spices in a way I am not used to. Savory, sweet and spicy all seem to be thoughtfully arranged together. They should not work together. But the mix is incredible. Its diversity hits every part of the palate. Those wonderful smells. What a beautiful picture of the incredible diversity and thought our God put into his creation. We were not meant to stand alone on God’s pantry shelf. Our Father loves the beautiful richness of variety he created.

Revelation 7:9-10: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Diversity of God’s creation

Thank goodness God did not desire a planet full of dull, uniform, monochromatic eunuchs all bleating the same two-word vocabulary. And thank goodness he did not design us to all eat the same bland mush. He created us beautifully and in his image. He created us with the beauty and forethought only achievable by a master artist that knows his medium intimately. This is why we are here in New York City. God loves every single one of the beautiful creations he breathed into life. And he desires to know each of them personally. It is why Jesus came to us, fully man and fully God, so that we could know him personally. And it is why he has asked his children to go forth in his name.

Matthew 28:19-20: ^“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

God has created a beautiful opportunity for us here in New York City. He has brought the nations to one gathering place. He has brought them to our doorstep. We are here in this city filled with diversity to bring the name of Jesus to those that have never heard his name, his grace or his love. God has given us a wonderful and unique opportunity to serve others here in New York City. And between you and me, I am pretty sure we are going to eat well also.