Matthew 18:20 - For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.
Jesus encourages us to be together in community with (and for) each other. We weren't built to do life alone. We were meant to share our experiences and our faith with each other, and to keep each other accountable.
Solomon also spoke about this when he said that two can stand back to back and conquer, and that three were even better because a triple-braided cord is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). The more of us that are standing together in faith, the less chance the enemy can gain a foothold in one of our lives. Even the devil will flee when we resist him in the name of God (James 4:7).
For someone like me, who has always been a very contented loner, this whole idea of community was really foreign and difficult to wrap my head around. I remember always thinking, "Other people?! I gotta talk to other people?! But I don't like people!" Well, God isn't calling me to be comfortable. He's calling me to step out of my comfort zone, and share life with these other people. And I have to say that it has been a real blessing to me.
In his book Pursued, Jud Wilhite talks about community, and makes a great point. He says, "God wants to make all things new in us and then He wants to work through us to make all things new in our communities! God doesn't just want to save and forgive us, but He also wants to use us to bring hope and restoration to the world through the community of faith" (Chapter 11).
I thought about this after I read it, and it made me think about the people you see and pass on the street that are handing out Bible tracts, or trying to just share Jesus with those passing by. The one thing I have seen that they have typically had in common, is that they are alone. No one is there to help them, or keep them accountable, or share the experience of sharing Jesus. In years past when I would see them I would think, "Who are these crazy people?" And I'm sure I am not the only person who has thought that. What would make less people think they're crazy? What would give these people more credibility? Community, that's what. If there were two or three of them, they would probably be taken a little more seriously instead of just waved off as some religious nut jobs.
I'm not saying to never share God's Word and love with people if you are by yourself. By all means, share whenever you have the opportunity. But don't overlook being in community with others. Never believe that you can do it all by yourself. In Pursued, Jud Wilhite answers a common question with a very unique perspective (in my opinion). He says, "People sometimes ask, 'Can you be a Christian without attending church?' The truth is, yes, you can be a Christian and never go to church, just like you can be married and never go home to be with your spouse. But in both cases, as someone said, your relationship with your significant other will suffer" (Ch. 11). The last thing I want, is for my relationship with God to suffer because I'm stubborn.
We don't necessarily need the community to survive. But God doesn't want us to just survive. Surviving is boring. He wants us to thrive. God said he has great and mighty things planned for us (Jeremiah 33:3), that hardly sounds boring to me. The community of God's believers (the church) is where we can thrive.
Dear Father, thank You for Your Word, and thank You for the amazing community You have given me to be a part of. I have been so blessed since I have finally found my church home and a great Bible study group, and I can't imagine not having those people in my life. I pray for those that don't have that. Maybe they don't feel they need it, or simply don't want it. My prayer is that You will show them just how much better it can be when we are all doing life together and sharing our faith with each other. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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