Prayer Blog 8/6/20: Fellowship is Normal
Fellowship is Normal
Many of us have missed the normal gathering of believers on Sunday mornings. For ten weeks we were online only. For the last ten weeks we have been back in the building in a limited fashion. How we long for a return to seeing most of the flock on Sundays. In Acts 2:42, 46 the church started in an atmosphere of fellowship. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer….every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts… they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.”
It is good to be together, even with masks! We realize some of you are still not able or ready to come back, but it’s a lift when you can. The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia. In the Christian context it has always meant the special fellowship of souls where believers gather in Jesus’ name and sense a special presence of the Holy Spirit. There’s nothing like that presence.
But fellowship is even more than that. John expressed it like this: “But if you are walking in the light as He is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus purifies us from all sin.” I Jn. 1:7. The word koinonia is also used to describe the communion service in I Cor. 10: 16. “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation (Koinonia) in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread that we break a participation (Koinonia) in the body of Christ?” You can see that fellowship and the Lord’s Supper are closely connected.
But fellowship is not just Sunday morning. It includes having a small group where koinonia is even closer because you know everyone’s name and prayer concerns. (You can still have social distance.)
Finally, don’t discount the blessing of one on one times with a Christian friend. These are blessed times in a home, restaurant, walking, or over the phone. Let’s stay connected as much as we can.
Lord, thank you for fellowship—the sharing of our spirits because of our common love for Christ. Thank you that many are able to meet at the church on Sundays, but we pray for the time when we can all be back together. In the meantime, we pray that everyone will still feel the spiritual connection we have through the Holy Spirit.
Lord, we pray right now for every need in the lives of those who are listening or reading—take a moment to focus on your need.
We pray for the virus to abate and pass away. We thank you for fellowship that does not pass away. Lord, help us to be careful, but above all we pray for your divine protection and healing. Watch over your church wherever it is found. We thank you that physical distance does not stop your Holy Spirit and we pray for ministry to continue in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.