Commitment to Community预览

Day 4: We Need Community

Connectivity is easier now than it has ever been. Through technological advances, we can all be connected to one another instantly. And yet, according to a recent AP Report, “Americans, who have become less engaged with worship houses, community organizations, and even their own family members in recent decades, have steadily reported an increase in feelings of loneliness.” This goes to show that although we are more connected than we have ever been with more people than we could ever imagine, we feel more alone and unknown than at any other time in history.

God Himself, after seeing all He had created and saying “It is good,” said in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” God made Eve because He recognized that goodness in creation could only exist when man was in community, not just with God but with others. So God lovingly addressed Adam’s need by giving him an equal counterpart.

This goes a step further for Christians because of the simple truth that discipleship is impossible when we are not known. We were not designed to live in isolation, but to walk in community with God and with others. We cannot love God and walk in communion with Him without loving others. Our true love, devotion, and service to others is an authentic demonstration of our communion with Christ. God’s good design was for us to have communion with Him, to be in life-giving relationships with one another, and for the world around us to be drawn to Him as a result. We need community; the community around us needs Jesus. How we love Him and how we love others matters. If you’re feeling isolated or lonely today, take a step towards community.

Reflection/Prayer

We are surrounded by people all of the time—our families, our neighbors, our social media followers—the list goes on and on. Yet feelings of loneliness are on the rise. Take time today to ask yourself two questions: "Do I feel alone?" and "Do I believe that isolation is what God wants for me?" If you believe that God has better things for you than feelings of loneliness, tell Him how you feel and ask Him to highlight the community around you that He wants to lead you into. If you are involved in a local church, how can you find community there? You were created for community!