I work at a doctor’s office and every year we need to collect a new HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) for each and every patient. We ask for names of people who we can contact in case of an emergency and we cannot get ahold of the patient. There’s other parts to the HIPAA form, but here’s what gets me. There are patients who run out of lines (we ask for two) listing all the people we could contact. There are those who just list a spouse or friend. Then there are those who have nobody. Even as I type this my heart breaks a little. They tell me a reason, but it’s obvious the pain hits deep for them.
We can tell those patients who are lonely and just want to strike up a conversation. We chat about this or that, but I hear the lonely in their voices. Some patients share very deeply about their trials or joys. I just am always struck by the fact that we truly need one another. We need fellowship.
In 1 John 1, John has already introduced us to the idea of fellowship in verse 3.
“what we have seen and heard we also proclaim to you, so that you too may have fellowship [as partners] with us. And indeed our fellowship [which is a distinguishing mark of born-again believers] is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”
1 John 1:3 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/1jn.1.3.AMP
We have fellowship with one another. We have fellowship with the Father and Son. How we love one another is a mark of those who believe. Not just believers, but the world around us. How we love matters. How we speak one another, how we speak to ourselves distinguishes.
“This is the message [of God’s promised revelation] which we have heard from Him and now announce to you, that God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness], and in Him there is no darkness at all [no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection].”
1 John 1:5 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/1jn.1.5.AMP
Jesus taught the disciples this very message. God is light. There is no darkness about him. Light displayed in truth, love and wisdom. Jesus, well, let me share what the author of Hebrews has to say on this;
“God, having spoken to the fathers long ago in [the voices and writings of] the prophets in many separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the truth], and in many ways, has in these last days spoken [with finality] to us in [the person of One who is by His character and nature] His Son [namely Jesus], whom He appointed heir and lawful owner of all things, through whom also He created the universe [that is, the universe as a space-time-matter continuum]. The Son is the radiance and only expression of the glory of [our awesome] God [reflecting God’s Shekinah glory, the Light-being, the brilliant light of the divine], and the exact representation and perfect imprint of His [Father’s] essence, and upholding and maintaining and propelling all things [the entire physical and spiritual universe] by His powerful word [carrying the universe along to its predetermined goal]. When He [Himself and no other] had [by offering Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for sin] accomplished purification from sins and established our freedom from guilt, He sat down [revealing His completed work] at the right hand of the Majesty on high [revealing His Divine authority], having become as much superior to angels, since He has inherited a more excellent and glorious name than they [that is, Son—the name above all names].”
Hebrews 1:1-4 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/heb.1.1-4.AMP
Jesus is:
- Heir of all things
- Creator
- Radiance of God’s glory
- Exact expression of [God’s]nature
- Sustainer of all things by His word
- Superior to the angels
- Has a more excellent name
Our fellowship is with all of this. Makes me smile. This matters because we know this truth and we can trust him at his word. Look over that list. This is Jesus. We are never truly alone. We are never alone. I want people to know this truth. So that when trials and tribulations come, we know for sure that the Sustainer of all things holds space for us in this moment of pain. Sometimes the only cry we have is to say His name.
That is a prayer in and of itself. Jesus. Jesus.
He comes and abides with us. We can hold onto this truth. Even in the moments where our hearts are breaking, Jesus remains with us. So, whatever you face today, whether you have a full house, full social calendar or quite the opposite, you always, always have Jesus.
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