1 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're so glad to have 2 00:00:13,930 --> 00:00:17,750 Speaker 1: you as a listener. Today's topic is the blessing of 3 00:00:17,810 --> 00:00:20,750 Speaker 1: needing one another. We'll be right back with a brief 4 00:00:20,790 --> 00:00:36,550 Speaker 1: message from our sponsor. The Blessing of Needing One Another, 5 00:00:36,570 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: written by Laura Bailey, read by Laura Bailey. As apostles 6 00:00:42,860 --> 00:00:45,319 Speaker 1: of Christ, we certainly had a right to make some 7 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: demands of you, but instead, we were like children among you, 8 00:00:49,500 --> 00:00:51,739 Speaker 1: or we were like a mother feeding and caring for 9 00:00:51,780 --> 00:00:57,540 Speaker 1: her own children. 1 Thessalonians 2.7 NLT One of my 10 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,860 Speaker 1: closest friends, Amber, and I send each other memes throughout 11 00:01:00,900 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: the work week, poking fun of each other's personality quirks. 12 00:01:05,250 --> 00:01:08,890 Speaker 1: I check almost every extrovert box while she fits neatly, 13 00:01:09,350 --> 00:01:12,670 Speaker 1: for the most part, into the introvert mold. We are 14 00:01:12,790 --> 00:01:16,850 Speaker 1: wildly different. I often struggle to say no, and she 15 00:01:16,910 --> 00:01:20,390 Speaker 1: needs a push to say yes. You can never have 16 00:01:20,470 --> 00:01:23,460 Speaker 1: too many invites on the guest list, in my opinion, 17 00:01:24,060 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: and she'd rather spend time with a party of one, herself. 18 00:01:28,180 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: I invite and seek out change while my friend finds 19 00:01:30,860 --> 00:01:35,530 Speaker 1: comfort and consistency. On paper, our friendships doesn't make sense, 20 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: except for one, well, two things. First, we both love 21 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,820 Speaker 1: the Lord and have a deep affection for theology, doctrine, 22 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,260 Speaker 1: and diving into scripture to unpack and discuss questions that 23 00:01:49,300 --> 00:01:51,980 Speaker 1: have answers and those that will never have a black 24 00:01:52,020 --> 00:01:55,940 Speaker 1: and white response. Secondly, we both live by the motto, 25 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,730 Speaker 1: I'd rather be reading. I know you're thinking, I thought 26 00:01:59,770 --> 00:02:03,210 Speaker 1: you said you're an extrovert. I am. But I love 27 00:02:03,250 --> 00:02:05,990 Speaker 1: to read, and more importantly, I love to talk about 28 00:02:06,030 --> 00:02:09,190 Speaker 1: books with others. See where the extrovert side comes in? 29 00:02:10,590 --> 00:02:13,020 Speaker 1: A few years ago, Amber and I were paired together 30 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:16,299 Speaker 1: to help at a family friend's wedding. That day, while 31 00:02:16,340 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 1: passing out cake slices, we bonded over books and theologians. 32 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: I remember getting into her car and telling my husband 33 00:02:25,260 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: that Amber and I were going to become my new 34 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,169 Speaker 1: best friend. And he said, They've been going to our 35 00:02:32,270 --> 00:02:35,310 Speaker 1: church for almost two years. You're just now getting to 36 00:02:35,389 --> 00:02:39,829 Speaker 1: know her? That's the thing about church community. You can 37 00:02:39,889 --> 00:02:44,670 Speaker 1: spend hours each week with people, exchanging pleasantries, sharing prayer requests, 38 00:02:44,850 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: and serving together without ever really getting to know them. 39 00:02:48,500 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: We had done all of those things, but we'd never 40 00:02:50,940 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: taken our friendship to the next level. I think we 41 00:02:53,860 --> 00:02:56,859 Speaker 1: valued each other corporately, but I'd yet to realize how 42 00:02:56,900 --> 00:03:00,670 Speaker 1: much we needed each other personally. I think about the 43 00:03:00,790 --> 00:03:04,329 Speaker 1: ancient church and the demographics of people worshiping together, the 44 00:03:04,370 --> 00:03:07,570 Speaker 1: congregations that formed after Jesus were made up of followers 45 00:03:07,610 --> 00:03:11,060 Speaker 1: from all sorts of backgrounds, many of whom were enemies 46 00:03:11,090 --> 00:03:15,279 Speaker 1: before coming to Christ. I'm sure assumptions and prejudices were 47 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:20,059 Speaker 1: prevalent and were major hindrances for people developing close relationships. 48 00:03:21,139 --> 00:03:26,740 Speaker 1: God created humanity for community, not just surface-level associations, but deep, 49 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: rich friendship and fellowship. But that's not always easy. In 50 00:03:32,540 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: the opening chapter of Thessalonians, Paul writes to the church 51 00:03:35,260 --> 00:03:39,270 Speaker 1: in Thessalonica, sharing how encouraged he was by their hospitality 52 00:03:39,410 --> 00:03:42,670 Speaker 1: and mutual love for the gospel. Paul isn't shy about 53 00:03:42,710 --> 00:03:47,670 Speaker 1: letting them know he needs them. Their steadfastness under persecution, 54 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: continual prayers, and partnership in the gospel strengthen and equip 55 00:03:52,540 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: him to continue in ministry. Paul likens his congregation's care 56 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: and his view of them to that of a mother 57 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:03,130 Speaker 1: and a child. a relationship marked by love and mutual affection. 58 00:04:04,430 --> 00:04:08,950 Speaker 1: No matter what your disposition, outgoing, shy, talkative, quiet, we 59 00:04:08,990 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: are called to care for the body of believers. Ephesians 60 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,220 Speaker 1: 4.2 tells us, Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, 61 00:04:15,420 --> 00:04:18,340 Speaker 1: bearing with one another in love. It is a blessing 62 00:04:18,380 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 1: to have a church family that needs us, and we 63 00:04:20,860 --> 00:04:23,979 Speaker 1: need them too. When we care for each other and 64 00:04:24,020 --> 00:04:28,090 Speaker 1: develop relationships filled with humility, service, and love, It doesn't 65 00:04:28,130 --> 00:04:31,730 Speaker 1: matter our personality, background, or personal preference. We are united 66 00:04:31,790 --> 00:04:38,580 Speaker 1: in Christ. We are family. I am beyond grateful the 67 00:04:38,620 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: Lord allowed Amber and me to bond over books and 68 00:04:41,140 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: the Bible. She's become one of my closest, cherished friends. 69 00:04:45,460 --> 00:04:47,799 Speaker 1: I covet her perspective and her different view of things. 70 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: Sometimes our differences clash, but more often than not, we 71 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: celebrate them. Embrace the blessing of needing each other. People 72 00:04:55,180 --> 00:04:57,500 Speaker 1: are a gift from God, so let's treat them as such. 73 00:04:58,420 --> 00:05:01,290 Speaker 1: Intersecting Faith and Life. Is there someone in your church 74 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,930 Speaker 1: community you've been hesitant to connect with because on the 75 00:05:03,990 --> 00:05:07,570 Speaker 1: outside they are different from you? Let this devotional encourage 76 00:05:07,589 --> 00:05:09,190 Speaker 1: you to reach out and to get to know them 77 00:05:09,330 --> 00:05:11,810 Speaker 1: as you experience the blessing of the body of believers. 78 00:05:12,770 --> 00:05:16,050 Speaker 1: For further reading, check out Ephesians 4 or A Prayer 79 00:05:16,270 --> 00:05:19,110 Speaker 1: for the Gift of Fellow Believers when we need encouragement. 80 00:05:23,589 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 81 00:05:26,570 --> 00:05:28,659 Speaker 2: you heard today, We want to make sure you know 82 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,659 Speaker 2: about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. When you follow 83 00:05:32,700 --> 00:05:36,020 Speaker 2: Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get 84 00:05:36,060 --> 00:05:39,180 Speaker 2: a brand new prayer and devotional each day so your 85 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 2: days begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to 86 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 2: grow in prayer or start your day with your heart 87 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:49,810 Speaker 2: focused on the right things, search for Your Daily Prayer 88 00:05:50,150 --> 00:05:53,010 Speaker 2: in your favorite podcast app and be sure to follow 89 00:05:53,029 --> 00:05:55,969 Speaker 2: the show so you get a new prayer delivered straight 90 00:05:56,029 --> 00:06:01,529 Speaker 2: to you each morning. Thank you.