Devotion - True Fellowship Witnesses
" that which we have seen and heard we declare unto you, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. " 1Jn 1:3
In my devotion time and bible study, I have been hitting 1 John, yup this tiny book somewhere before Revelation and see this book in a new light. I have been having a ball with my study group doing the first chapter so far. As I sat down last night to put some of my thoughts on paper. This is the thought that came to mind:
With this thought, taking John's words with this twist. The fellowship we have with the people (the saints) and God is not one of "hellos" and "goodbyes". Rather, it is one of participating, partnership and communion in each others' lives. It is to mingle and join with each other and being part of each other's lives.
As Christians, we seem to have boxes that we pull out on Sundays, Mondays and so on where certain people can only come in at those times. We are afraid to open up all the boxes in case other people see this and that, but God called us to be a family where we see each others' true self and still love each other. Though we are not to be apart of the world, we are still in the world and because God gave His Son for the world. Therefore we cannot abandon it, rather we are not to be partake of it. Too often as Christian, we sway from one extreme to the other where we become super spiritual to the point we don't want to know what is happening in the world and go around Bible-whacking. Or we bury our heads in the sand and pretend everything is rosy and good. How can we bear witness to the life of the Lord Jesus Christ if we are swaying between the edge of the two extremes? It is important for us to bear witness to this world of the life of Jesus that comes for knowing and the fellowship with Him as well as seen in the way we love and respond to each other.
Father, help me Lord to understand the incredible love you have given to me, the privilege of the fellowship and participant in the things you are doing in this world. Help me to be the light for you in this world and to touch those who have not known you at this point. Blessed is your name, in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.
~ Kenny (2006) ~
In my devotion time and bible study, I have been hitting 1 John, yup this tiny book somewhere before Revelation and see this book in a new light. I have been having a ball with my study group doing the first chapter so far. As I sat down last night to put some of my thoughts on paper. This is the thought that came to mind:
Sometimes we are so focus on spiritual things that we forget the people and sometimes we are so focus on the physical, we forget God. In the old days, the monks would take vows of silence and hide away in some desolated place in the Himalayas, substaining from any interaction with the world or people to focus on the spiritual things. Thinking this will get them to a new level of holiness, but here John expresses that true fellowship needs to include both God and the people. This is also wrapped up in the two greatest commandments of Jesus:
- To love your God with all your heart, mind and strength
- To love each other as we love ourselves.
With this thought, taking John's words with this twist. The fellowship we have with the people (the saints) and God is not one of "hellos" and "goodbyes". Rather, it is one of participating, partnership and communion in each others' lives. It is to mingle and join with each other and being part of each other's lives.
As Christians, we seem to have boxes that we pull out on Sundays, Mondays and so on where certain people can only come in at those times. We are afraid to open up all the boxes in case other people see this and that, but God called us to be a family where we see each others' true self and still love each other. Though we are not to be apart of the world, we are still in the world and because God gave His Son for the world. Therefore we cannot abandon it, rather we are not to be partake of it. Too often as Christian, we sway from one extreme to the other where we become super spiritual to the point we don't want to know what is happening in the world and go around Bible-whacking. Or we bury our heads in the sand and pretend everything is rosy and good. How can we bear witness to the life of the Lord Jesus Christ if we are swaying between the edge of the two extremes? It is important for us to bear witness to this world of the life of Jesus that comes for knowing and the fellowship with Him as well as seen in the way we love and respond to each other.
Father, help me Lord to understand the incredible love you have given to me, the privilege of the fellowship and participant in the things you are doing in this world. Help me to be the light for you in this world and to touch those who have not known you at this point. Blessed is your name, in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.
~ Kenny (2006) ~
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