UNBROKEN FELLOWSHIP

"When thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:17).

"When they saw the boldness of Peter and John. they took knowledge of them, that they bad been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13).

The transition from fellowship with God in the morning hour to interaction with our fellowmen is often difficult. If we have met God, we long to maintain the sense of His presence and our surrender to Him. Yet, when we go out to the breakfast table the atmosphere is suddenly different. As the presence of our family and material things take over, we begin to lose what we gained in our quiet time.

"And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him...But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded" (Exodus 34:29-30, 33).

Maintaining The Glow

Many young Christians have wondered how to keep their heart filled with the truth when they do not have the liberty or the opportunity to speak to others. Even in religious circles, it is not always easy to communicate that which would give us the greatest profit and pleasure. Let us strive to learn how our conversations with people may be, instead of a hindrance, a help to the maintenance of a life of continual fellowship with God.

The story of Moses with the veil on his face teaches us an important lesson. Close and continued fellowship with God will, in due time, leave its mark and manifest itself to those around us. Just as Moses did not know that his face shone, we ourselves will be unaware of the light of God shining from us. Instead, it will deepen the sense of our being an earthen vessel (see 2 Corinthians 4:6, 7).

The sense of God's presence in a person may often cause others to feel ill at ease in his company.

However, the true believer will know what it is to veil his face and prove by humility and love that he is indeed a man like those around him. And yet, there will be the proof that he is a man of God, who lives in and has dealings with an unseen world.

This same lesson is taught by our Lord when He spoke about fasting. Jesus said we should not draw attention to ourselves when we are fasting. "That thou appear not unto men to fast." Expect God, who has seen you in secret, to reward you openly and to make others know that His grace and light are upon you.

The story of Peter and John confirms the same truth: they had been with Jesus not only while He was on earth, but as He entered into the heavenlies and poured out His Spirit. They simply acted out what the Spirit of Christ taught them. Even their enemies could see by their boldness that they had been with Jesus.

Unbroken Fellowship

The blessing of communion with God can easily be lost by entering too deeply into communion with people. The spirit of the inner chamber must be carried over into a holy watchfulness throughout the day. We do not know at what hour the enemy will come. This continuance of the morning watch can be maintained by a quiet self. restraint, by not giving the reins of our lives over to our natural impulses.

This spirit of watchfulness can be encouraged by the other members of the family. Around the breakfast table, each person in turn may quote a verse pertaining to a certain subject. This practice will provide an easy opportunity for spiritual and godly conversation. When the abiding sense of God's presence has become the aim of the morning hour, then with deep humility and in loving conversation with those around us, we will pass on into the day's duties with the continuity of unbroken fellowship. It is a great thing to enter the inner chamber, shut the door, and meet the Father in secret. It is a greater thing to open the door again and go out in an enjoyment of God's presence, which nothing can disturb.

To some, such a life does not seem necessary. They feel one can be a good Christian without this continual fellowship with the Father. If we are to influence the Church and the world around us, we must be full of God and His presence. Everything else must be secondary to this one question: How can we have the power of Christ resting on us all day long?