One thing we have come to understand in our devotion to God is that we were created to function best in communion with God. This happens when we pray, fast, and study the Word of God.

While we have personal times of prayer, fasting, and study, and rightly so, it will be wrong to believe that your Christian walk only consists of you and God. The problem with this mentality is that it eliminates the place of fellowship with the body of Christ in our walk with God.

In our devotion to God, there is a place for the church and not just in the Sunday-to-Sunday sense of the word.

We got saved into the family of God with Christ as the firstborn.

Colossians 1:18

King James Version

18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Ephesians 3:14-15 says this also

Ephesians 3:14-15

King James Version

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

Two things to notice

1. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
2. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

This means there are brothers and sisters in this family! It was never God’s intention for you to walk the journey alone. He gave you a family with other believers for a reason. Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus paints this picture vividly.

Ephesians 4:16

King James Version

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

He talks about the whole body being the church, and Christ as the head of the body. It says that every part of the body works to edify which means to build up the whole body.

So the work of other believers is to supply to you and aid in building you up as a part of the body of Christ.

Fellowship is one way to take advantage of what God has made available for you in His family. Do not isolate yourself from any gathering of believers. Don’t let your temperament or emotions get in the way of embracing the family of God as he designed it for you.

Think of times when it seems hard to pray, study, or fast. It’s easier to make the wrong decisions resulting in your altar growing cold until you have a shadow of your once vibrant devotional life.

Now, imagine having other believers who spur you on, check up on you, encourage you to pray, study, and fast the way you should. It makes all the difference. Corporate prayers, Bible study, and fellowship, in general, keeps you consistent. It helps ensure that you have no off-seasons in your devotion to God.

So, don’t take the body of Christ for granted. Be intentional about building kingdom friendships that spur you unto better works and keep you accountable. Make concrete plans to attend fellowships and do not forsake the gathering of believers.

Your devotion will be better for it!

Prayer Point:

Lord, I see that you have blessed me with a family of believers to aid my growth in the faith. I recognize that fellowship strengthens me. From today, I don’t take for granted all you have for me in the body of Christ. I am more intentional about fellowship.