"That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you..." - Jesus' prayer

"That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you..." - Jesus' prayer John 17

"For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father." Ephesians 2:14-18

I have had the opportunity to be in many, many conversations about community (what is, value of, development, enrichment, etc) the past few months. A reoccurring sort of conclusion many of these came to is that community ought to be allowed to happen organically, via commonality (interests, values, proximity, age, etc). I think the idea of organic community is a very valuable one; to not force while still not taking for granted what we have and so as to not nurture it properly.
However, I feel whole heartedly convicted that I have too often stopped our conversation and visions for "creating" community at our own terms and limits of man; at this world's social norms and practicalities rather than faith in the God who can do anything and what I know to be his desires. I have forgotten the truth and power of the Kingdom of God. It seems to me, the kingdom--the nation-- of God is nothing if not a breaking of barriers; it is the resurrected life in which all the norms, all the barriers, all of the "us, them" mentalities are overcome and washed away by the all saving blood of Christ. There is no rich or poor, white or black, republican or democrat, American or Iraqi, Christian or Muslim, Terrorist or soldier.

In the confines of the ways of this world, this is speaking idealistically. However, I am speaking in terms of the reality of the breaking in of the Kingdom of God. Set apart (sanctified) through Christ, as His disciples we are living resurrected lives now; this is our reality. We have died to the old nature and way of thinking we grew up in, which taught us all its ways and defined life and it's limits for us. "We should not expect the call to be Jesus' disciple to be anything less than a painful intrusion into what comes naturally to us." We are being raised to a transforming and renew of our minds. Our nation, our life sustenance is not of this world, rather our daily way of life is freely defined by the desires and will and possibilities of God, who is Truth and Love.
We must believe in community as God desires it, we are free to live it out, not being hindered by the lies and boundaries of this world but knowing that He is a God of reconciliation who keeps His promises.
In regards to the divisions of this world and the people of God, Chris Rice put it something like this in a book he co-authored Schools for Conversion: 12 Marks of New Monasticism

To be deeply bothered is a sign of hope... we are not in control of reconciliation. Lament reminds us that we are not God... Too often Christians are driven by an activism that by trying harder and doing more our communities can become all they should be. We have to keep proclaiming what is not, even what is not in our own midst. Even if things never change. This does far more than keep us open to transformation, it keeps calling us to hope in God, to humility, to resist certainty, self congratulation, and the pride which so easily besets self proclaimed "radical disciples." We keep naming the "not yet" of the coming kingdom, keep praying to be interrupted by the unexpected, keep reaching out to the stranger, keep holding our hands out for the gift of new people (or work) the Spirit may bring tomorrow. or not.