Called Into the Depth of His Fellowship
Devotional Credit: Open Windows; T. Austin-Sparks, Called Unto the Fellowship of His Son – Chapter 1
Photo Credit: Unsplash
The devotional by T. Austin-Sparks reminds us that we live in an age that values speed, ease, and size above depth, perseverance, and substance. This mindset has crept into the church, producing shallow expressions of faith that confuse excitement with joy and equate numbers with greatness. Yet, the life into which God has called us is not a cheap or hurried thing. The fellowship we share with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, is not small or light—it spans eternity past to eternity future and embraces the vastness of God’s eternal purpose.
Austin-Sparks warns that when the world’s hurry infects our walk with the Lord, the result is a diminished quality of Christian life. Instead of seeking the reality of knowing Jesus deeply, many settle for substitutes—emotional highs, outward activity, or visible success. But the fellowship God calls us into is grounded in the One who existed in the form of God before anything was created, the One who humbled Himself and now invites us to share in His life.
The author gives thanks for those, especially younger believers, who are seeking authenticity in their relationship with the Lord. Yet he also cautions that reality will only be found in Christ Himself, not in counterfeits dressed up as the real thing. Joy in Him is deeper than fleeting happiness, for it endures regardless of what happens in our circumstances.
To recover the weight and wonder of this calling, we must lift our eyes to see the greatness of the One with whom we are united. Fellowship with Jesus is no small matter; it is the richest, most enduring reality into which a soul can be brought. In Him, we have been invited into a relationship that transcends time and space, and our hearts can rest in the faithfulness of the God who called us into it.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I have called you into fellowship with My Son, and My calling is not casual or shallow. Before the foundations of the world, I purposed that you would share in His life. This union is not built upon your striving but upon My eternal faithfulness. In Him, you have entered into a fellowship that will never fade or grow dim.
Do not be drawn away by the world’s rush for results, nor measure My work by outward impressiveness. What I am forming in you is eternal. My joy in you is not dependent upon circumstance, and the joy I give you will endure through every season. Remember, you are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms, secure in My purpose and sustained by My grace.
When distractions and shallow imitations press in, turn your gaze back to Him. The One who existed in the form of God now dwells in you by My Spirit. I have not called you into something small or fleeting, but into the vastness of My eternal plan. Walk with Me in this fellowship, knowing I will complete the work I began in you.
Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 1:9, Philippians 2:6–8, Ephesians 1:4–5, Ephesians 2:6, Colossians 3:3–4, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, John 15:4–5, Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 10:23
Real-Life Analogy
Think of brewing a slow, rich cup of tea. You could dunk the teabag quickly in hot water and get something weak, pale, and without depth. But if you let it steep patiently, the flavor deepens, the aroma fills the air, and the warmth soaks through. In the same way, your fellowship with the Lord deepens as you linger in His presence, letting His life saturate yours. This is not a hurried process but one of yielding and waiting.
Today, when you feel the pressure to rush ahead, pause and acknowledge His life within you. You might say, “Lord, I trust You to express Your patience and depth through me in this moment.” Perhaps you are in a conversation where quick answers seem easier than listening, or in a task where speed is prized over care. In those moments, allow His steady life to work in and through you.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that You have called me into the eternal fellowship of Jesus Christ. I rest in the greatness of this calling, knowing it is not small or temporary. You have already given me all I need for life and godliness. I rejoice in the depth of relationship You have brought me into, and I trust You to live through me today with the patience, joy, and reality that only come from Your Spirit.