The apostle Paul reveals his true heart in the letters he wrote that help comprise the New Testament. For example, when he writes to the church at Philippi, he wants them to know how thankful he is for them. The word he uses for “thank” is in the verb tense that demonstrates continuous action in the present time – in other words to give thanks repeatedly. Paul directs his thanks to God because God has done a great work in their lives. It started on the first day of their acquaintance and it continued up to that present day.

We discover in the book of Acts that on the first day Paul arrived in Philippi, he was beaten and jailed, and yet as he remembered those Christians in that city, he had good memories. In his letter to them, Paul mentions his fellowship with them in the gospel. Fellowship is sharing something that we have in common. Paul is specific in what they share together – the gospel. It is having an active faith working together for the sake of the gospel. It involves bearing burdens together, and even suffering together. But it also involves sharing joy, celebrating together, and enjoying the unity of God’s Spirit.

In order for that to happen in the world in which we live, we need to become intentional. We need to devote our time and energy to engage in true fellowship. I would like to make a suggestion about how we can start. What if one of our priorities for this year would be to find opportunities to become involved in Christian fellowship? If you do not belong to a small group in our church, make an effort to become involved with one. Those in a group meet once a week to share their faith and their lives with one another. Check with Wes who leads our small group ministry or with someone who attends one of our small groups for further details.

Mamie made frequent trips to the branch post office. One day she was confronted with a long line of people who were waiting for service from the postal clerks. She only needed stamps, so a helpful observer asked, “Why don’t you use the stamp machine? You can get all the stamps you need, and you won’t have to stand in line.” Mamie said, “I know, but the machine can’t ask me about my arthritis.” That revealed what was really in her heart. What about what is in your heart? When our hearts speak to us about who we are as Christians, we will likely discover the importance of fellowship that involves sharing our faith together, demonstrating that we care about each other, and conveying the truth that we are all wrapped in Christ’s love.