Two-minute read.
Meeting regularly with other believers spurs us onward on the journey. Sunday mornings, during corporate worship, surrounded by fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, encourages my heart. We have one gentleman whose enthusiasm during worship always makes me smile. He has a “Hallelujah” readily on his lips, arms spread wide, giving his whole being to the Lord. Families lifting their praises to the Lord in song, the children gathered at the front for our opening songs uplift my soul.
During the week, we meet with our small group, dine together, discuss the pastor’s message, and pray for one another. When things happen that knock us off course, we have people to turn to for help.
“I know, if I needed anything, everyone in this room would do what they could to help me,” our group leader said at our last meeting. Building a community together, sharing our hardships and victories, creates a divine bond with the Lord, the cord that no one can break. Serving God and others fulfills our purpose on earth; we need community to do it successfully.
More than a building, people make up the church, not four walls. A place for sinners, all fall short of the mark, and realize their need for the Savior. Becoming God’s hands and feet only happens in community. When someone has a need, the church helps them meet it. Meal trains, in which different people prepare meals for individuals in need, serve others in various ways. New moms adjusting to life with an infant don’t have to worry about cooking. Families who have lost loved ones gain comfort from the meals people bring them. Or if an illness occurs, the meal train relieves some of the daily pressure on families. Prayer chains do the same thing from a spiritual perspective: people collectively pray for others’ needs, inviting God to provide for them.
Today, I had a physical need. Texting my ladies’ small group, I asked them to cover me in prayer and pray for God’s intervention. Knowing they will pray for me immediately brought me divine peace and helped lessen the anxiety that wanted to control my thoughts. Praise God for having a community of believers I can count on when I need help.
The Lord created us for community. Through meeting with others and developing relationships, God will grow us. Isolated, we shrivel; in community, we thrive. Make meeting together regularly with other believers a priority in your life and watch how the Creator uses it to fulfill your divine purpose.
Journal Questions:
How has meeting with other believers encouraged you?
In what ways can you make community a priority in your life?
How do others help you fulfill your purpose?
Application:
Thank God for encouragement through fellowship.
