You don’t have to be at our church for long before you realize that at PBC, we love two things: food and fellowship. Whether corporately or individually, every week, there’s some kind of fellowship going on. Over the past few years, my wife and I have grown to love having people over. In the last couple of months, we’ve probably hosted at least fifty people at our home. We’ve had beef back ribs, ribeye steak, hot pot, pho, sous vide chicken, and more. But more than the good food, we enjoy good, wholesome fellowship with God’s people, and we enjoy it often.
There are certain couples that we especially enjoy being with, because of the content of our fellowship. When we talk, I’m encouraged. When we talk, I’m sharpened (Proverbs 27:17). At the end of our time together, I’m refreshed spiritually. I believe that’s how it should be! And I believe that pleases the Lord. Notice the passage below:
Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name
Just as I love to see my children sitting around in productive, wholesome fellowship with each other, I believe it pleases the Lord when His people do the same. However, when the content is spiritual in nature, I believe He takes special note. I’m not saying every dinner/fellowship needs to be a Bible study. But if we’re around spiritual people, naturally, they’re going to talk about spiritual things. And vice versa, if we’re spiritual, when we fellowship, spiritual things are going to come out.
Here's the encouragement: God loves when His people get together. God loves when His people spend time in fellowship often. But God especially likes when His children can have good fellowship that is of a spiritual nature. This can be at church, or at home. It can be at a casual fellowship, or an organized activity, or any other time we’re together.
Let’s spend time together as God’s people. We’re a family. We’re a community. But let’s not just spend time together. Let’s sharpen each other. Let’s grow together. Let’s encourage each other. Let’s dream for God together. Let’s talk of spiritual things. I believe we’ll find ourselves refreshed, and those with whom we fellowship will feel the same.
