Dave's Diary

This week, we’re asking: How on earth can we ever manage to love the Lord, one another, and our neighbours? Living this life of Jesus-following love is a seemingly impossible task. But it can be done!

It CAN be done when we help each other to do it in community!

Prayer before Reading:

Before you read, pray this simple prayer inspired by Psalm 63:1

Heavenly Father, You are my God, and I seek You earnestly. I thirst for you. My whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. In this quiet moment, satisfy my longing for You, I pray.

Now spend a moment quietly getting focused on the Lord’s presence before you read.

Daily Reading

Hebrews 10:24-25

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.. (NIVUK)

Jesus never intended His followers to live in isolation from one another. His heart was always for community. Early on in His ministry, Jesus had a steady group of followers and “hangers-on”. Realising the time had come to take His ministry to the next level, He spent a whole night in prayer before calling out twelve “that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach” (Mark 3:14-15). Before they ever went out to preach, He wanted them “to be with Him” – to be in community with Him. This community would be His home-base, a safe space of refuge for Him and for them throughout His ministry.

Later, when Jesus’ earthly ministry was complete and He had ascended to the Father’s right hand, His apostles were so in step with His heart that they returned to Jerusalem and remained in community as His followers. Then, Acts 2 says, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place … (and) all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit …” (v.1 & 4). 

The Spirit came and filled them “when they were all together”.

Today, the Holy Spirit continues to use our engagement in Christ-centred community as a powerful means of strengthening us for our Christian discipleship. He indwells our fellowship and community.

In that context of being in it together, Hebrews 10:²⁴ calls us to continue meeting together and to “consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds … ”

A Christian community of genuine Christ-centred friendship and fellowship is the ideal context within which to strive to follow Jesus and “obey everything He has commanded us.” Here we grow to accept one another in love, encourage one another, advise one another, support and counsel one another, offer each other forgiveness when we mess up, and form a safe home-base from which we can stir one another up to venture out and love in Jesus’ Name.

Contemplation:

Please take time to ponder this truth. Turn one or more of these statements over and over in your mind:

• The Holy Spirit lives powerfully in close Christian community..
• Here I find the strength and guidance to live a life of love most effectively.
• Whenever I battle to love, I can call on my close Christian community for support and guidance.
• What can I do to grow deeper in relationship within a close Christian community?

Holy Spirit, guide me to move towards a deeper experience of Christian community with my fellow believers, so that I may be strengthened to love more fully in Your Name. Amen