ARM IN ARM
Acts 2:46-47
"Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
Next week Linda and I will be at 2 Hats Ranch in Big Rapids, Michigan. We will be serving at the Quest Ministries Special Needs Youth Hunt. One of the best parts of the entire hunt is when some of the young kids bring in a buck and others of the young hunters come over and put their arm around the successful hunter to congregate them. There's something about the touch of a friend to make a special bond. We weren't created to be alone.
Linda and I enjoy watching the TV show ALONE and if you watch it you will notice that many of the contestants get a little weird after being alone for a while. They don't get their tasks done well alone and they get discouraged quickly without someone alongside of them. Many of them actually end up "Tapping out" (going home) early because they can't take the solitude.
Jesus began His ministry by starting a group of 12 disciples. He spent the majority of His time in that group, or at least with Peter, James and John. I believe we all need to do what Jesus did... live our lives in a group of fellow believers. There isn't a Christian anywhere that doesn't need to be with others in a group, because we all need to worship together, walk together, and love together.
I remember the story of Jackie Robinson. He was the first African-American to play baseball in the Major Leagues. He faced unbelievable hostility in every stadium where he played. On May 13, 1947, the Brooklyn Dodgers were playing in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the booing, racial epithets, and jeering were completely over the top. He was standing at second base being humiliated as the "Boos!" were raining down on him. Looking down, totally miserable, and without saying a word, short stop Pee Wee Reese went over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Robinson and started scanning the crowd. The fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that that arm around his shoulder literally saved his career.
Out world today is becoming more and more hostile towards Christians. It's not going to get any better in the future. If we stand for our faith we will come under attacks on a regular basis. We stand much firmer when we stand together. And if we were to fall... we have someone there to pick us up.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
As we as Christians go through life we must stand alongside each other... linked arm in arm we withstand the storms and the attacks that will come our way.
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