It's Me Again God 2

51. Real Community

It's me again God,

It's so wonderful to be part of a community of believers that we call 'church'! Every time we get together,  we have much to be thankful for! Our common joy in knowing You and having received eternal life through Jesus' death and resurrection is just the beginning! As we join together to rejoice in Your goodness and grace, we also celebrate our fellow believers' victories and answers to prayer. This is very much in keeping with Paul's words:

"Celebrate with those who celebrate, and weep with those who grieve."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:15‬ ‭TPT‬‬

This verse indicates the way that we are one as a body of believers, not just in the good times but the sad times when we go through loss. Here we have the opportunity to display Your love for others even when things don't make sense. Sometimes we have prayed for healing and instead we see people having to suffer the loss of not being able to work or function in the way they could before. Other times family members are taken home to be with You and the pain of loss and temporary separation is so great, especially when the loved one was still quite young. It's at these times that we mourn with those who mourn.

Help me Lord to be sensitive to the needs of fellow believers. I know that I don't need to have all the answers, I am just called to love deeply with Your love so I can be the shoulder for others to cry on and genuinely rejoice when other believers are happy. It really is such a privilege to be part of the body and to be so intimately connected to my brothers and sisters in Christ —my joys are multiplied! Even though I share in the sorrows of others, it isn't a bad thing.  You bring us all comfort and there is such a deep, abiding joy we experience in having You minister to us together and bring us through loss as one.

Help me to take time to listen to others today and not miss out on the wonderful joys You have for me as I share with the believers at church.  I thank You for all the encouragement I have experienced in the past as I have met with believers at church and in small groups. I thank You too, in anticipation, for the encouragement I will receive as I share in community with these precious believers today, knowing:

"This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing. In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning."
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:25‬ ‭TPT‬‬

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.