Tonight I was doubly blessed because I got to be with two different groups of Christian sisters. I met with my prayer group at 5:30 for about an hour and then I went to my home congregation to attend our monthly ladies' devotional meeting. I really was truly doubly blessed! I love being with fellow Christians. We can draw strength from one another and share in so much together. I must say, there is a special bond among Christians. It is the blood of Christ.
The Bible gives us many scriptures relating to fellowship and its advantages and the great joys it can bring. I truly think the very first support group belongs to God, and is still well and alive today. It is called the church! Consider the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 4:9 "Two are better than one: because they have a good reward for their labour." v. 12 tells us that "a three-fold cord is not quickly broken." Our words might be "there is strength in numbers." We fortify one another when we are together.
Christ understood this principle as well. When he sent out the seventy,(Luke 10:1) did he not send them out two by two? It was His intention for these disciples to have a companion while they labored for Him. He knew full well that "two are better than one." And after Christ's death - Acts 1 tells us that all the apostles were gathered together in the upper room together, "with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brethren."
When Jesus was here on this earth, he fellowshipped with and visited in the homes of many different types of people. Zaccheus, Mary, Martha & Lazurus are some I can think of and there was also the Pharisee who looked down on the woman that washed Jesus' feet. To spend time with someone in fellowship -- is to say you value that person. You are saying you want to spend that time with them --they are worth your time. You are giving them attention and a sense of friendship. Spending time together increases the bonds of love that we as Christians are supposed to feel for each other. Jesus made Zaccheus feel special by going home with him. Who can you make feel special by carving out just a little bit of time for them?
In Acts 2, Christians were meeting from house to house, and continuing in fellowship and prayers. They were together with gladness and singleness of heart. Do you enjoy meeting with your Christian family? Or do you make excuses about not having the time? Now, I know that every person cannot attend every extra activity or special meeting of the church. I work, so I can't attend the meetings that involve our new Tabitha ministry because they meet during the work day. But there are other sisters who can be there to carry on this wonderful work. And then there are some other activities that I can and do participate in. Let your church family know how important they are to you. Let Christ know how important it is to you to carry on His work.
There are many other scriptures throughout the New Testament that show the early church took advantage of spending time together. Spending time with other Christians allows you to obey the commandment in Romans 12:15 - that is the commandment to "rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." And Hebrews 10:24 tells us to "consider one another to provoke unto love and good works." How can you do this without spending time in fellowship?
I truly, truly believe that God meant for us to spend time with one another. He wanted us to build up one another; to help one another, to laugh together and to cry together. He wanted us to hold each other up when we fall and He wanted us to pull each other back on the path of Light when we begin to stray. (Galations 6:1-2)
Finally, consider this - Christ wanted us to bring glory to Him through our fellowship with one another. Consider His words in John 13:34-35 - "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Now I ask you how did Christ show His love for these men? He had spent time with them, taught them, loved them and served them. He tells them to love each other like He has loved them. I think it's pretty easy to understand what He meant by that. And how can all men know we are His disciples by having love one to another - without fellowship? And as we have fellowship, not only can we celebrate our common salvation and our common hope --but we can celebrate the fact that we make our Savior happy when we follow His commandments!
And THAT my friends is the reason we can all find joy in fellowship with one another!
Christ above all things,
Robin
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