Jake is a dear brother in Christ who was involved in a horrific car accident many years ago. It left him with traumatic brain injury and ended his very successful career as a prominent physician. His steadfast faith in God and the support of many friends, family, and the Church during his time of rehabilitation, helped him recover but he still bore many scars, physical and emotional.
Years later, through God’s providence, he, another brother in Christ, and I, meet regularly for a time of fellowship and prayer. One day when we were sharing, Jake expressed how grateful he was to meet on a regular basis, yet the meetings required a great deal of emotional and physical effort, and after we met, he would need to take a nap to rest.
I enjoyed our times of fellowship but sometimes I found myself bemoaning the fact that I had to work a full day then rush home to join our virtual fellowship. When I learned the great sacrifice that Jake made to regularly meet with both of us, it moved me to tears. I was ashamed that I would even allow myself to think such selfish thoughts when my brother sacrificed his health to meet with us. He understood the true cost of fellowship far better than I did.
Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins.
Luke 22:15 (NLT)
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, echoed this same desire to have fellowship with His disciples. Jesus endured the humiliating pain and suffering of dying on the Cross so that our broken relationship with God would be restored by His Resurrection. Before this happened, He revealed His deep desire to have a meal and fellowship with them. In spite of the suffering He knew He would soon experience, His priority was focused upon spending sweet fellowship with His disciples, the twelve men with whom He shared His life for the previous three years. Nothing, not even death on the Cross, would prevent Jesus from entering into His time of fellowship.
My dear brother’s desire to have fellowship with us always inspires me. His deep faith in Jesus Christ encourages me to faithfully support him and our other brother through prayers and frequent messages. He embodies the love and devotion that Jesus Christ demonstrated to have fellowship with us.
May God bless all your times of fellowship with those whom you love.
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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