Many people have a hunger for a deeper intimacy with God but they do not want to risk the vulnerability of sharing with other people. Scripture, wisdom, and thousands of years of testimony, teach us that we were not made to be alone, and we were not designed to keep ourselves to ourselves. God knew that even before he created Adam because He Himself is three in one. When God formed Adam he recognised that Adam needed a companion to walk alongside him so that they could walked together with God. When Jesus came he gathered people around him to live life together in community, and communion, with one another. If Jesus needed to share his life with close friends then I think we do too!
Ironically people do not seem to have a problem splurging on social media, but to actually have an honest, face to face conversation with someone (about anything let alone God) seems to be too way too difficult for most people. It seems to me that the enemy does not have to work very hard at all to stop intimacy with God. It is a sad and increasing consequence of our western culture that, as we close our hearts to one another, we put up barriers to receiving the love of God. I find that the increasingly therapeutic/counselling culture of the west has done a great job at helping people to put up so many ‘boundaries’ that they may scratch the surface with a therapist but they don’t actually share their lives deeply with anyone. They don’t open their hearts to other people because they are too afraid of getting hurt. And then they don’t, or even can’t, open their hearts wide enough for God to share his life and love with them.
If we look through the eyes of the world it may all seem hopeless. But perhaps the Lord is inviting you to see it for what it is and WAKE UP! He is stirring something in us that compels us to seek greater intimacy with Him because that is how he created us to be.
Whether you are already hungry for deeper intimacy with God, or long to have that hunger, why not pause right now and pray?
Father God, thank you that you created me to be in communion with you and with people who will help me to stay close to you. Create in me a hunger for more of yourself and lead me into fellowship with others who will walk with me into the fullness of life that you have for us all. Amen.
Fellowship Band, and/or House Fellowship, can be a means of grace used by God to help us recapture our love for Him and find communion (community) with him and with others. We help one another as we open our hearts in our sharing to receive more of God’s love, and then we will find that we can’t help ourselves sharing that with other people. This is how the Gospel will spread heart to heart, and bring hope to the world.
What now? How is the Spirit prompting you? Here are few things you could do:
- Look at the Inspire website to find out more about Fellowship Bands and House Fellowships.
- Join in an online learning community to taste and see what these fellowships are like.
- Contact us to arrange to talk to an Inspire Missioner about a Fellowship Band.
- Arrange to meet with one of our prayer team.
