ROMANS 12:4-5 – “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

THEME OF THE DAY: A DESIRE AND A NEED FOR OTHER CHRISTIANS.   One of the great blessings in the Christian life is the blessing of other Christians.  We get to travel to heaven with fellow believers.  It is a great blessing because it is a great gift from God, and this gift is both a need and desire placed in us by God.

When we became Christians, the Lord placed within us a desire to be with other Christians.  Many passages in scripture describe this longing. Here are four; two each from the testaments, Old and New.

“As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight” (Psalm 16:3)

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name” (Malachi 3:16)

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Romans 1:8-12)

“But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?” (1 Thessalonians 2:17-19).

Desire for other Christians, in worship, fellowship, prayer, study of the Word of God, service for the Lord, and carrying each other’s burdens is a God-given desire in the lives of His children.  When it is absent, one of two things is true; we are not Christians or our ignorance of the Christian life is apparent.

But there is more in the Christian life in relationship with other Christians.  We need each other and the well-known passage in the wisdom book of Ecclesiastes shows us why:

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

Pay attention to Solomon’s listing of the valuable aspects of being close to others; accountability, strength, and avoidance of self-deception. Bottom line, we need each other.  Sheep flock with sheep because we not only desire to be together, we need to be together.  That is how God designed the Christian life – a togetherness with His people seeking Christ – the Good Shepherd and Head of all His sheep; a seeking out of desire and need.

PRAYER: Father, teach me that I am my brother’s and sister’s keeper and privileged to love and serve them.

REFLECTION: Thinking we may live Christianity with no involvement with other Christians is self-deception.