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What does it mean to have fellowship with God?



When I heard the word ‘fellowship’ I always used to imagine a small group of very solemn believers coming together to talk about God and pray for each other. I learnt over time that fellowship is so much more than that. It can take many forms and has many expressions. Fellowship can find expression among believers but also among family members and in your relationship with God.

I recently heard somebody draw a distinction between our relationship with God and our fellowship with Him. We are able to stand in a relationship with the Father because of the price Jesus paid on the cross to reconcile us with Him.  By faith we enter into this life-giving relationship and by faith we grow to maturity in this amazing relationship.

While we might enjoy the security and benefits of our relationship with God, our fellowship with Him could be lacking and leave us feeling empty and longing for more.  Truth be told, we should always long for an even more meaningful connection, a deeper fellowship with God. That is why we can echo the words of the Psalmist: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God”, even as a child of God, who has been serving Him for many years.

This can be further illustrated in a marriage relationship. Although I have a relationship with my husband, miscommunications and the lack of meaningful communication can cause a break in the fellowship we experience.

God not only longs for us to stand in a relationship with Him (through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ), but for us to have a time of fellowship with Him everyday.  James 4 describes how the Spirit jealously long for us – our whole selves, that we will serve Him single-mindedly and whole-heartedly. The same chapter contains a wonderful promise:  That if we draw closer to Him, He will draw closer to us.

Having fellowship with God then, is finding times where you connect with Him, where you pour your heart out to Him and where you hear from Him. It is living fully in the relationship He has called you into. Enjoy your fellowship with God!

Bless you
Lizemari


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