“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” – Ephesians 2:19 (NKJV)
Welcome to the 40th weekly devotional recap of the year. This week we learnt about the church, our role in it and how to handle pain.
On Monday, we explored the church as God’s family and, by extension, our family. We embraced love as the defining culture of this family. Jesus said in John 13:35 that His followers would be known by their love for one another. You are called to serve and build others through love as a vital part of the church. It’s never too late to take your place!
We continued on Tuesday with an in-depth look at what it means to love one another in this family. We learned that brotherly love is not just a feeling; it’s a transformative power that can change lives and relationships. It’s about seeing every believer as family, treating them with the care and honour you show your blood relatives. Loving other believers is evidence that eternal life is at work in you (1 John 3:14).
On Wednesday, we looked at the importance of fellowshipping with the brethren. God places a premium on your fellowship with the brethren (Matthew 18:20). By constantly gathering with the saints, you enjoy encouragement and support of fellow believers, the opportunity to learn from others’ experiences, and the joy of shared worship and prayer, which contributes to your spiritual growth (Acts 13:2). Whether you gather to share the Word and prayer, or gather to break bread, everytime you fellowship with the saints, God is in your midst and everything good is possible.
We went on to look at how to handle pain as believers. On this journey, hurt and pain will inevitably come from different sources, but how we handle them matters. Like Jesus, we are encouraged to respond in love, to look for the purpose tucked in our pain, and to surrender our pain to the Father, trusting that God is a just Judge who sees and restores (Luke 23:34, 1 Peter 2:21-23).
We wrapped up the week with a charge to take up our place in the church family. The church is not just a place for us to receive services, but rather a community where we belong, build relationships, and grow together. You didn’t receive salvation to sit idly by; you received it to serve (1 Corinthians 3:9). You do this by remembering our focus is Christ, plugging in with your gifts and connecting with love.
Remember, God didn’t just call you to show up at church; He called you to be the church. The family isn’t complete without you; jump in and take your place.
Have a lovely weekend.
Bible Reading Plan: Isaiah 45–49; Colossians 1:1–2:7