When Christians meet, they talk to each other about their Christian work and Christian interest, their christian acquaintances, the state of the churches and the problems of theology but rarely of their experiences of God. Modern Christian books and magazines contain much about Christian doctrine, Christian standards, problems of Christian conduct, techniques of Christian services but little about the inner realities of fellowship with God. Our sermons contain much sound doctrine-but little relating to the converse between the soul and the Savior. We do not spend much time, alone or together, in dwelling on the wonder of the fact that God and sinners have communion at all: no, we just take that for granted and give our minds to other matters. Thus we make it plain that communion with God is a small thing to us.
I love the quote above by J.I Packer that describes what we often do when we hang around each other. We always seem to update each other on the usual: work, family, bills, politics etc. Whether its over the phone or over a cup of coffee that pretty much summarizes our conversations. Please don't get me wrong, there is certainly nothing wrong with the mentioned above. However we often don't delve deeper and find out the state of our communion with the Savior of our soul.
But then, we cant share what we do not have, what we have not experienced, what we have not spent time on and certainly not about Whom we have not known. Do we take time away away from the books, magazines, to-do list of our service to God and spend time with Him.
Is the longings of our soul to have a close familiarity with Him? Like Moses are we brave enough to utter the words "Let me know your ways so that i may know you, becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with you, recognizing and understanding your ways more clearly"
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| Picture courtesy of Summitdrive.com |
Another beautiful part of this process is that when Christ becomes the agenda of the meet-up then we become vulnerable. As we practice the discipline of confession, we find healing as we pray for each other and we find ourselves strengthened to do life together.
My prayer is that the reality of a Holy God who has made a way to commune with sinners be what excites us. May this reality become an everyday agenda in our fellowship.
To better fellowships!
Joy Kimani-Njau
