Community

Community is-a feeling of fellowship with others

VERSE FOR TODAY: Matthew 18:20

SCRIPTURE: For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them

What is community? Well, the dictionary says that Community is-a feeling of fellowship with others as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. I’d like to add a group of like-minded people encouraging one another and being there in their time of need. I don’t think many of us think about community and realize how important it is. I know I didn’t until the last few years. When you look back on the days before tv and social media, people spent time talking with their neighbors, working together in social clubs being a part of church events. My mom would have the ladies over from the church while we were at school, and they would fellowship. We would go to the houses of people from church and we would hear the adults talking about God. I think I learned more about Jesus at those gatherings than I did in church. In our community, our neighbors knew us. We, as kids, knew we better behave because there was always someone who would tell my mom about us. You couldn’t get away with anything because the community looked out for one another. If someone was sick or had a loss in the family, the community rallied around them to help and to grieve with them.

Nowadays, we are so distant. We go to an online church, so we don’t know anyone. Everyone around us is so busy that no one takes the time to check-in. I believe this is a tactic of the enemy to keep us isolated. He wants us isolated so that we become vulnerable to his attacks. In isolation, sin runs rampant, shame becomes unbearable, and depression can reign. In isolation, there is no community to come and pick us up, hold up our arms when we are tired, or pray for us when we struggle. We need to consciously make an effort not to fall into that trap of the enemy. Ask the Lord to help you. Get involved in church or at your child’s school, go feed the hungry or get involved in prison ministry. You will be amazed how being a part of a community can not only change your life, but you can change the lives of others.

Prayer Thoughts:

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. - 1 Corinthians 1:10