The Bond of Fellowship

We are one of those families whose faces you seldom see at Bethesda in the summer. If we're not at the baseball field with our boys, we try to get to our cabin in Northern Wisconsin. Every summer around this time, we really sense the missing Christian fellowship in our lives and start to long for September!

The importance of the fellowship among the body of believers has been evident since the beginning of the church, and is seen in the closing of Paul's letter to the Romans. He told them of important work he needed to do before he could come to Rome - delivering an offering from the Macedonians and Achaians to Jerusalem - and asked for prayer as he completed this task. But then he proceeded to send his greetings to many friends in the Lord.

The gospel, of course, is relational. It calls us to repentance so that we can be friends with God. And when we are friends with God, we inherit a brand new family - brothers and sisters who love Him, as well. The Lord gave us this family so we can learn and pray together, growing in grace and the knowledge of truth. While we theoretically could learn and grow and pray in isolation, that is not God's desire for his friends.

So, the ache that my husband and I feel for Christian fellowship seems to be hard-wired into us as believers. Do you feel it, too? What will you do about it? Have you found a small group bible study or ABF? Do you have a prayer partner? Do you have an idea for a new group at Bethesda? I suggest you call someone and take that first step toward deepening your fellowship with other believers, either within or outside our church doors.

Lord Jesus, thank you that you have designed us to be in relationship with others, even if we sometimes simply find it easier to be alone. We give you permission to do whatever it takes to nudge us into Christian fellowship so that we can see more of You in the lives of those that know You, too. Amen.