Pass the Cream and Sugar

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.

I have recently experienced an abundance of Christian fellowship with some wonderful ladies. In all the various meetings, I was encouraged, challenged, and refreshed in the spirit. The satisfaction was so great that even the human body hungered not after the earthly needs of nourishment. My soul was thirsty for the living God. He met that need abundantly in Himself and in the blessing of Christian fellowship and love.

The song, “my cup is full and running over” continues to play through my mind. The abiding presence of Christ, through the Holy Spirit, has filled my cup and it overflows with His loving presence. In addition to God’s abiding fellowship, shared during individual quiet time and prayer, is the fellowship of the Believer. My cup is not only full of God’s abiding presence, but it has been sweetened with the Beloved. In essence, the fellowship of the Beloved has added cream and sugar to the nourishment my soul thirsts for.

The cream and sugar has not replaced what only God can give. For what is a cup full of cream and sugar? It may taste good for awhile, but it will make me sick if I continue drinking it without the original refreshment intended for the cup. No. The cream and sugar sweetens and flavors the original brew.

The first century church experienced this in the purest form. Fresh from the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, the body of believers encouraged, worshiped, prayed, taught, served, and loved one another. They served so much that not a one of them had an unfulfilled need.

O Beloved, are you hiding from the church? Are you afraid to go to a Sunday school class? Are you hesitant to do a Bible study, attend a small church gathering? May you be encouraged. Your soul longs for the individual, intimate, and personal fellowship of Christ. The friendship, love, and bonding of the saints can only sweetened your relationship with the Heavenly Father.

I want my cup of faith to be sweetened - pass the cream and sugar, please.