We celebrated my Mother-in-law’s 80th birthday this past weekend, with many friends and family in an appropriately socially-distanced and masked kind of way.  It was great fun and a wonderful party.  But, it was also strange in some ways.  “Air-hugs” and fist bumps, even between old friends, are now the socially-accepted means of greeting.  And isn’t it odd to have a lengthy conversation with someone behind a mask?  On several occasions, I would find myself starting to lean in closer just to maybe hear what was being said behind the mask a little better.  But then, I would suddenly realize that I was about to commit the faux-pas of “getting too close”.  Ugh!  So, I would back up, and just nod affirmatively along, hoping that I was reacting properly to whatever it was they were saying.  Of course, this was after struggling to recognize people by just their eyes.  What a strange world we’re living in now.

We’re not quite “used to” all of the Pandemic changes yet - at least I am not.  And I imagine others of you out there still find yourselves having to actively resist the urge to hug friends and family members whom you haven’t seen in a while.  I imagine many are growing weary of the masks, and even more weary of the isolation that has been forced on us.  The masks themselves seem to multiply the feelings of isolation, don’t they?  When we are in a place where others are present – whether it’s a store or a restaurant, or even church – the masks make it seem like we’re not really together, like we’re not really in Community, like we’re not really in Fellowship, like we’re basically on our own.

And that is not how we were designed to live.  “It is not good for Man to be alone” – said God in Genesis 2:18.  The word translated into English as “Man” in this verse is the Hebrew word “adam”, which, as used here, essentially means “humans”, or “mankind”.  So, God wasn’t just saying that it wasn’t good for this male, whom we call “Adam”, to be alone.  God was saying that He created all human beings as social creatures.  The God-Head [Father, Son and Spirit] has always been in perfect Communion and Fellowship together, and as the only part of Creation bearing the image of God, Humans can only operate at their best when they are not isolated and alone.  Humans need Community.  Humans need Fellowship.  We cannot thrive without it.  And this type of life-giving interaction with others can only take place when we see each other and live with each other in a mutually equal, and mutually submissive way.

Contrary to what some scientists say, “Community” did not come about as a result of weak humans learning over a period of countless years that the strength they needed to survive in a world in which other animals were more powerful than they were could only happen if they teamed up against Nature.  The need for Community, the need for Fellowship was not learned.  It was designed into all human beings from The Beginning.  It’s something that we cannot change.  It’s something that we should not want to change.  And so, our feelings of angst and unrest during these times of Pandemic-induced isolation are natural.  We weren’t made for this.  

Maybe it’s going to end “soon”.  I hope so.  But what do we do until then?

I wish I had some good answers.  I wish I could provide a list of Five Simple Steps that we could all take to maintain a sense of Community and Fellowship in these trying times.  Actually, my guess is that somebody much smarter than me has already come up with that kind of list, and you can probably find it online somewhere.

But here’s what I think I know.  Maintaining a sense of Community and Fellowship has always required two steps: 1. - dedication to the principle that Community and Fellowship are things to be sought and desired; and 2. - hard work.  In Church this past Sunday, the Scripture we read, Acts 2:42-47, reminded us that Community and Fellowship were the great desires of The Church from the moment it began.  The brand new Christians, without being forced by leadership, took it upon themselves to be “devoted to the teaching, the fellowship the breaking of bread [Communion], and prayer.”  They gathered “every day” to do these things.  They “shared”.  I would encourage all of us to go back and re-read and meditate on these beautiful verses.  

Do you think any of this was easy for those early believers?  It wasn’t easy then, and it isn’t easy now.  But they were “devoted” to making this happen back then, no matter how difficult it was.  

What about us now?  Are we “devoted” to Community and Fellowship?  In our current circumstances, we will have to find some creative ways of intentionally expressing our “devotion” to these things.  But, if we can re-create the devotion of the early Church, in ways that are appropriate for our times, perhaps we would witness the same results they saw back then – The Lord saving and adding people to their assembly every day.  How cool would that be?          

Ambrose K. Ramsey III

Shepherd