Life Upraised – January 14 2022

In these unsettling days of sickness and disease and the response of the church to close or not to close, inside service, outside service , parking lot sound systems blasting to cars, mask, no mask, vaccinated vs unvaccinated… (and the list goes on…) let’s just say this scripture has emerged as one that we hear quoted maybe a little more than usual.

That “not forsaking the assembling” part anyhow…

I’ll own up to it!

I can’t say I’m a huge fan of people sitting home while church pews are nearly empty. I think almost two years of being a bit lethargic in our church attendance has many out of the “habit.” Soooo that “assembling” part of the verse seems to jump out rather easily.

But earlier today it was the first part that kept grabbing my attention.

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works”

Wow. Let us CONSIDER one another? Like… maybe someone else’s welfare is more important than our own? Even more importantly, are we aware of other’s SPIRITUAL welfare?

“Provoke in this sense is to call into action. The writer of Hebrews is telling us to be a motivator, an encourager to each other! It doesn’t say to assemble together so you can complain and find fault.

How easy is it to find negatives? Do you realize that it’s JUST as easy to find positives? To bring people up instead of down?

When was your last testimony of how God has been good to you? What if everyone at church couldn’t WAIT to get there to share with others how God had answered prayer that week!

What if we came prayed up, our cups running over, ready for more of whatever God had for us? What if we came EXPECTING God to meet with us? What if the excitement was actually visible to those who are unsaved?

That being said, do those who are unsaved around you WANT what you have? We have to be diligent about our actions and our attitudes.

So where am I going with this?

Assembling ourselves. Do I think it’s important? YES! Even now? YES… using common sense. Forsaking fellowship is a sure way to give place to discouragement. Discouragement happens where God’s people are not exhorting one another.

So let’s not skip the first part of that verse! We’re assembling to worship, but also to fellowship with other believers. To ENCOURAGE one another and to motivate each other to do good things and live lives that glorify God, and

“so much the MORE” because

that day IS approaching! Probably faster than we realize.

I hope everyone had a great “first week back.”

Until next week… keep smiling!