A Touch of Heaven on Earth

 

"We love each other and cherish the fellowship of God's people."

What is true Christian fellowship? For some, memories of formal (perhaps dry and boring) Bible studies come to mind. For others, their minds are instantly filled with images of uncomfortable clothes and grumpy people. Many just think of fellowship as church services on Sunday mornings. But is this accurate?

In one sense, these scenes may indeed picture true fellowship. Time spent with God's people in a church building should be considered a Christian fellowship event, though this is not the case for all churches. In fact, there are some church buildings that don't have Christians in them at all. Yet, where two or three real believers are gathered, the Triune God attends the meeting also.

What some may not understand is that the amazing reality of the divinely blessed fellowship of Christians extends beyond the church building walls; yes, it even transcends walls altogether. Christians can enjoy true fellowship with one another in a living room, waiting room, or boiler room. We are blessed to be with each other "here, there, or in the air." Believers don't need to meet each other at a certain formal place of meeting to have our fellowship; we just need to be ourselves: "that we would be called children of God; and such we areI" (1 John 3:1, emphasis added).

One way to grasp this phenomenon is to consider what life will be like in the New Earth. Heaven isn't going to be one long, droning homily sputtering forth from a preacher's soap box -- praise the Lord for that. The eternal state in the new creation will be full of adventure, conversation, a-ha moments, and varied experiences of God's peaceful pleasure. We will enjoy all of Him alongside all of His other children.

If this is what our future holds, why should we wait to start experiencing some of it? Of course we should faithfully attend our church's regular meetings and pursue those habitual means of service that the Spirit has set before us in our weekly rhythm, but let's not forget that Christian fellowship is more than "doing church" -- it's a way of living in the present that foreshadows the life to come.