Day 24... Shall we Gather at the Party

Day 24... Shall we Gather at the Party

Bible verse:

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.  Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.  John 2:1-2

In today's less Moore (2007) discusses his Sunday School class and how they just love to get together and eat!  They celebrate every recognized holiday here, and he wouldn't put it past them to celebrate other country's holidays too, if it meant that they could get together with one another and share some fellowship and a meal. 

It's true, in this culture, food is used as a one of the main reasons to get together with friends, family and neighbors.  My mother was the cafeteria manager at the local high school I and my siblings attended.  She was also one of seven children.  Several events were centered around holiday dinners, or what we used to call and still do, "wing dings".  They were made up of our family and my mother's family of 6 other brothers and sisters and their families.  We are quite a group when we get together.  Also, my mother was very active in her church, she coordinated the annual Thanksgiving Dinner held at the church, she always invited her cafeteria friends/staff over for parties, her Red Hat group, and her special friends.  She took special care to have the right foods, the right tableware, decorations and everything.  It was quite a site.  She even made it special for us, her children around the holidays when we would all get together before she headed to sunny Florida for the Winter.  I remember the laughs, smiles, tears, all of it.

It doesn't matter what the reason is that we get together, we need to make sure that we surround ourselves with other Christians so that we can encourage one another, be accountable to one another, laugh, and cry with one another and know that it is a safe place to be.

There are several times in the bible when Jesus is sharing a meal with others, not only the one mentioned in today's bible verse, but others.  One of the most important was before His crucifixion. These examples, among others, remind us that Jesus made an important place for Christian fellowship (Moore, 2007).

What happens when we fellowship together in our small groups;

• We see the Christian life lived out
• We offer an opportunity to invite new Christians into the fold
• We encourage one another, by laughing, praying, talking
• We are able to relax in a place away from the craziness of the world, be ourselves
• It provides a place of accountability
• Shows us that others love us as we love them
• Bonds begin to form and grow between the memebers

I know it's scary but step out and invite some members of your church over for coffee, lunch, or dinner and see where God shows up.  I am saying this to myself as much as I am saying it to all of you.  It is important to be connected, to make time not only to fellowship, but to worship the Lord with all of our hearts, minds, and souls.  Love your neighbor as you love yourself.  Share what you have, even if you don't think it will be enough God will provide.  You have to believe that all things are possible through Him.

Remember:  Christian fellowship provides us with a great opportunity to enjoy life with other Christians and sense the Lord's presence at the same time.

God Bless!