Your Basket
Your Basket Is Empty
This verse is taken from:
Romans 12. 15; 1 Corinthians 12. 26-27
“search the scriptures” John 5:39
The Lord does not intend that we live the Christian life in isolation. Rather we are called to live in fellowship with other believers. This is a safeguard given us by our Father who cares for us directly and through His children. This is why fellowship in a local assembly of believers is such a vital part of the Christian life.
It has been observed that ‘a burden shared is a burdened halved’. It is also true that a joy shared is joy multiplied. Another has observed that it is sometimes easier to ‘weep with them that weep’ than it is to ‘rejoice with them that do rejoice’. Humanly speaking, there is a selfish side that is jealous of another’s advancement. It takes great character to rejoice with another’s joy, even when there is nothing in it for us. It is a spiritually minded Christian who can rejoice with another’s answered prayer, even when our own is not answered - to rejoice in the salvation or restoration of another’s loved one when our own loved one remains away from the Lord - to rejoice in another’s health or employment or blessing, when we ourselves feel we too need these things. This is the true test of Christian character that only the Lord can work in our lives.
But there are not only joys to share, but sorrows as well. Job’s comforters sought to rationalize Job’s sorrows. That was a mistake. Similarly, we should not quickly judge the cause of another’s sorrow. We cannot tell why God allows some of His children to pass through dark valleys. Perhaps they are made of greater spiritual calibre than we are.
The Lord taught that those who bear fruit are the ones pruned, John 15. 2. Our first response should be one of care and expressions of love to those who weep. We can remember that Paul wrote: ‘And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular’, 1 Cor. 12. 26, 27.
God uses His people to comfort His people. This is part of the reason for our own sorrows, 2 Cor. 1. 3,4. Be a comforter to someone today!
Your Basket Is Empty