A Family's Fellowship

Last week, a brother called me up and said he would come with his wife for an important and urgent fellowship. I was not too sure what the matter was but looked to the Lord for His feeling within to be able to supply life to the couple. 

As the couple came, another brother and I paid heed to whatever they have to fellowship. Listening and discerning their real need as they were speaking was the main thing I did. As they continued to pour out their burdens, the only thing I could do was, pray to the Lord inwardly and asked for the Lord's speaking and His feeling. Once they finished whatever they were burdened to fellowship with, the Lord's feeling within me was very clear. But I waited for the other brother to speak first.

As the brother spoke, the Lord confirmed His speaking within me. The feeling I got from the Lord was the same feeling my coordinating brother spoke. The Lord, the Head of the Body, speaks the same thing concerning the same matter and person. In this case, the speaking of the Lord was as follow:

One Flesh

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. Ephesians 5:31

The principle set forth in the Bible concerning a married couple is that they should stay together as much as possible. Except for an avoidable circumstance, no decsion should be made to stay separtely even for a while. The Lord ordained that husband and wife are one flesh and must be one. Any suggestion otherwise may not be from the Lord. This couple was contemplating staying separtely for a preiod of time due to health and financial reason. The solution they devised for their problem was actually suggesting another bigger problem. A brother and I fellowshipped with them in love to reconsider their decision and not try to break the Lord's principle set forth for husband and wife. We both fellowshipped with the couple, they must stay together by all means. 

Pitch Tent Towards the Tabernacle

The children of Israel shall encamp each by his own standard with the ensigns of their fathers’ households; they shall encamp facing the Tent of Meeting on every side. Numbers 2:2

In the formation of the army of God, the Israelite were to pitch their tents facing the Tent of Meeting. This arrangement is contrary to the human concept of pitching a tent in a battle field. Naturally, you have to face towards the enemy if you are on a battlefield. But God's arrangment is, facing the Tent of Meeting, and the enemy is faced on the back side. 

The couples' consideration of stay separately is based on their health, finance, and convenience. But what the brother fellowshipped was what the Lord led me to fellowship too. All our decisions of family matters, job, finance, etc., should be centered on Christ and the church. Our whole life must be directed towards God. All things else are secondary. We both echoed the same burden. Besides staying together, whatever decision they make must be centered on Christ and the church. Where they stay, what job they take up must be with the view that they can be for the Lord's testimony.

The Leading of the Lord

And when they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, yet the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. Acts 16:7

The final matter I fellowshipped with the couple is related to seeking the will of the Lord in everything. Whatever decision they are making, it must be out of the Lord's leading. The Lord knows the best. Everything that they do much be based on the Lord's leading and not due to circumstances. The Lord's leding must be the key to making any decision. Therefore, I encouraged them to look to the Lord in prayer before taking any call for whatever matter.

It was indeed a wonderful time of fellowship and learning to seek the will of the Lord. Through the couple's fellowshipped I also learned a deep lesson of coordination with my coworker and discerning inwardly the speaking and feeling of the Lord. The Lord is perfecting all of us through various means and circumstances. 

Praise the Lord!