Further, Faster, TogetherSample

Stronger Together

God created you uniquely with special gifts and talents. And He created you for His purpose: to love Him first and others second, and to share His Good News.

This may sound easy, but it can be really hard to do.

The good news is: you weren’t ever meant to live out God’s purpose on your own. God is a relational God who created you for relationships and connection with others.

In Acts, we learn about the early church. In the second chapter, it says that the believers were together and shared everything they had with those who were in need. They met together, prayed together, and praised God together.

As the early church gathered, shared, and supported one another, they spread the Good News of Jesus to even more people, despite facing opposition and persecution. Their unity and shared purpose propelled them forward, allowing them to grow in numbers and in spiritual depth.

We can try to do everything the early church did by ourselves, but the result may look different. It’s when the believers came together that God increased their impact and added to their number daily. And, He does the same with us.

As part of the body of Christ, we each have unique gifts that are needed to further God’s Kingdom. And when we come together as the body of Christ, God multiplies our capacity and uses the collective group to accomplish far more than we could ever have done on our own.

Just as the early church found strength and growth in their unified passion, we can also find this when we come together to serve God and His people.

Reflect and Respond:

• What does it mean to live out God’s purpose as a community? How does this compare to living out God’s purpose individually?
• Think about the early church described in Acts. How can you apply this to your community today?
• What opportunities might God be calling you to engage in with your community?

Prayer:

God,

Thank You that You didn’t create me to walk through life alone, or to live out my purpose by myself. Thank You for the gift of community and that there is power when we come together and share the gifts You’ve given us. In moments when I feel alone or isolated, remind me of Your presence and the people You’ve placed in my life. Today, show me how I can model the early church in my own life and community.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.