Lesson Two • Gather
Debbie Gabarra
“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.” Philippians 2:1-2 (NLT)
For several years now, I have led a Growth Community for ladies on Friday mornings. As you can imagine, our group has grown very close over the years as we have studied, prayed, and shared in each other’s lives. Some ladies have joined us for just a season, and some of us have been meeting together year after year.
Just as the pandemic began in early 2020, we were finishing up the study that we had been working on. We realized that during a time when the world was locked down and we were all separated in our homes, we needed to continue studying together and be there for each other more than ever. As I was praying and asking God what we should study next, the Lord brought the book of Philippians to my mind. We needed some joy in our lives. If you are looking for joy, the book of Philippians is a good place to find it!
We figured out how to call each other and be on one line altogether. So, on Friday mornings we would have eight to ten ladies on our call. You might be wondering why we did not do a Zoom meeting; they had quickly become so popular at that time. Well, as I mentioned, our group meets in the morning, and we agreed that we did not need to see each other in the morning. It was a pandemic after all, and on the phone, we did not have to worry about being in our sweats or not doing our hair. So, for us ladies, a group phone call was perfect.
When all the world was separated and anxious, we found a way to gather together to seek the joy and comfort that only our Lord can bring. We laughed together, cried together, and celebrated the joy that we found when we fixed our eyes on Jesus. We talked about the blessings we were seeing and were there for each other through the hard days and tragedies that the pandemic brought.
The Apostle Paul certainly knew hard days. Scripture says that Philippians was written while Paul was in prison in Rome under house arrest. Acts 28:30-31 tells us that though he was guarded by a soldier, “He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”
Just like the example we have from Paul, to study and share the Gospel during hard times, we found encouragement, strength, and sweet love for one another that only the love of Christ can bring. We went looking and God helped us find joy together!
Author Henrietta C. Mears wrote, “Christ must be your joy, your trust, and your aim in life.”