Our enemy is like that lion. The Apostle Peter reminded his readers (and us today), "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8, ESV). Most often, the Christians whom the devil is likely to devour are the "lone wolves" who aren't tied in with a church family or other Christian community.

These days, too many people try to live their Christian lives as "lone wolves." People have withdrawn from church and Christian community — even faithful believers — in a trend that has accelerated since COVID-19. There are families I know from church who have never come back to church after the pandemic, and they're not going anywhere else.

I can't recall who said it, but I remember hearing somebody not too long ago say that Christianity is a team sport. It makes sense, not just from personal experience, but also because God's Word tells us so.

The idea of community goes all the way back to the beginning of time. In Genesis 2, after God created Adam, He said, "It is not good that the man should be alone." We use that verse to talk about marriage, but it also highlights that we shouldn't live this life by ourselves.

The wise King Solomon discussed how important it is for people to live together in community:

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (ESV)