Our creative God loves diversity. The world is an amazingly diverse place.
There are an estimated 8.5 million eukaryotic species on Earth. If you’re like me, you had to look up the word eukaryotic. It refers to organisms whose cells contain a true nucleus and other membrane-bound structures, i.e., not bacteria and some other strange exotic things.
The estimated number of galaxies in the observable universe is between 200 billion and 2 trillion. That’s a wide range, but it’s a big number.
There are just over 8.2 billion people alive today. Scientists estimate there have been over 200 billion of us over time. Every one of them has been unique. That’s diversity.
God loves every one of those 200 billion people, which is amazing. Estimates show that about 1/3 of the world’s population identifies as Christians. I believe that number is highly inflated, but it depends on how you define the term
Still, even if the number is inflated (I think it’s probably closer to 1/10th of the world’s population who are born again), it shows that we have a lot of work to do to share the gospel. It also shows that the Christian world must be very diverse.
Different skin colors, different languages. A diversity of music and worship formats. Different Bible translations. Theologies that vary. The list goes on.
I’ve been blessed to worship in churches of various denominations, and in varying styles from the very formal liturgical to wildly charismatic. I’ve worshiped in prisons and with the underground church, where being a Christian could mean imprisonment and even death. I’ve worshipped in places. I didn’t know the language. Where true believers gather, the Holy Spirit is there.
The Lord calls people of every nation to become adopted into the family of God. He planned for diversity in his church and eternal kingdom.
One of my favorite images in Scripture appears in John’s Revelation of Jesus the Christ.
After these things I looked, and behold, a great [multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen, the blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”Revelation 7:1-12
What a worship service that’s going to be. Every sort of person and culture, united by one Holy Spirit in worship of the one true God.
I can hardly wait. What about you?
Be blessed
Kevin
Summary
God’s creation reflects incredible diversity—from millions of species and trillions of galaxies to billions of unique people—and His love extends to every one of them. The church is meant to reflect that diversity, bringing together people of every nation, language, and culture in worship of Jesus Christ.
Key Points
God intentionally created a diverse world and calls people from every background into His family.
Christians worship in many different cultures, traditions, and expressions, yet are united by the same Holy Spirit.
Revelation 7 paints a powerful picture of believers from every nation worshiping together before God’s throne for eternity.
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