Church Community

I am taking a lesson from my cat today by being reassured how much companionship is important in our lives. Socks is my oldest cat that we have had since I was in kindergarten (that is 17 years). When we got Oreo a few years later, Socks seemed to become bitter. When we took Butch in a few years ago, she became needy. She is ready to stomp wherever you call her; as long as she has the energy. I didn't know this, but a 17 year old cat is like an 84 year old. I can see Socks, if she were human, to be the frisky old lady who could be found causing trouble in a nursing home. Socks follows me and tracks me down, when she has the strength. She likes my company. I'm her companion she wants to be around. From observing her, it's obvious that even in the animal kingdom God embedded a need for love and companionship, much like us, humans.

What has been on my mind recently is my need for friends. I am needy. I want people to tell me when I am being irrational or when I am right. To give me a hug of encouragement or even to just be a listening ear. I miss that a lot through my weeks, when they get so jammed packed with work and other chores that I do not have time to really meet up with others to support me, nor for me to support them.

Proverbs 18:24 says, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." This simply means there are friends you have who will stick with you for the good, but then there are friends who will stick with you through the bad. I think it could also mean having that connection with people through the week no matter what is going on in our lives. Remember Psalm 133:1, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!" As Christians, we are to stay connected and not abandon time with one another. If we want the mindset of things above, we better keep each other in our lives that are going to remind us of that simple truth. How can we do just that? Well for me, it is refreshing to have deep meaningful conversations about life with a friend. "What do you think the end times will look like?" or "Why is the sky blue?" As silly as that sounds, it is true. Exercising what we know about God is fascinating and always keeps us thinking.

Another way to connect with friends is to share what is happening in our lives. Doing so, we can find some encouragement for what God is doing. Weeks without getting together with friends to do these things are--can I say it without sounding dramatic--dreadful! Picture this. I do not come from a Christian home, so it's hard to sometimes find encouragement or support for my belief in God. So I count on the church I go to, and some other Christian friends, for encouragement through the week. I admit this to warn anyone from getting caught up in their own Christian family that they are tempted to forget those who struggle for support.

Listen, this is what I think all of us ought to do. We ought to remember our need for one another. To encourage one another. To celebrate what God has done in our lives together. To mourn for what God may have taken away in our lives. To ultimately be a reflection of Jesus Christ through a commitment to live together as a community of believers in Christ (not just our families), and to overall love one another as Christ loved us. And be aware it's a two way street. I say this because I know I am guilty for not making the time to reach out to others when I know I should be. So let's commit together this one idea...

"not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." ~ Hebrews 10:25

Let's stick together as close as a brother. Not forsaking one another for anyone or anything else in this world. We can start to grow deeper in security and understanding of who God is by being around others who love him. Whether it be being around those who have a gift of encouraging or those who have the gift of discernment, we are all put together as a church body to support one another. Let's commit to supporting one another today, as a brother does.