- Since the weather has turned colder, I have been on an oatmeal kick for breakfast. I like the warmth and comfort it provides in the chilliest part of the wake-up process… something toasty to look forward to instead of crawling right back into my warm bed. Cereal just doesn’t do that.
- Like many residents of our fine state, I also suffer from seasonal allergies. No matter the season, I have an allergy. So of course, my winter allergies are in full swing, and there are many days that I can’t smell anything at all.
- My kids have rediscovered yogurt and have been enjoying it daily. Because of this, I have felt that it is a fine substitution instead of their usual cup of milk.
My point in mentioning all this is simple: There have been several current happenings through no poor choice process or fault of my own that have created a situation to blindside me that my milk had gone bad. And no, I didn’t let it sit in my fridge, unused, for an improper amount of time. In fact, I had still been using my freshly opened container of milk: In mac and cheese, dinner casseroles, and of course, my coffee. In hindsight, I really should have seen that something was off. Every time (for a period of 3 days) that I poured milk into my coffee, it looked a bit funny, and separated slightly. And then there was the odd taste…I thought maybe it was because I had tried a new coffee flavor. But in due diligence, I sniffed it and thought it was fine, so it must be me, right?
Our faith can go through a similar process. Sometimes as we go through our routines, some sour/stale attitude can come right up and smack us. Only, it doesn’t appear to be sour at first. Maybe we don’t notice with our senses that something is off, or that our own judgement has been compromised. We have been reading our bible, praying, and living for our Lord with intentional daily choices. But even in the most perfect of situations, God never intended our faith-journey to be a singular mission.
Gen 2:18
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Adam had God, he had the garden, and he had all his needs covered. And yet God declared the need for companionship. The further point of community is established in several other places in the bible, one of which being Hebrews 10:24-25.
“And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
We are to encourage one another, concerning ourselves with the concerns of our fellow members of the body of Christ. Not in a way that replaces “casting our cares” to God, but instead for the purpose of promoting good works and love amongst each of us. How is this any different then the general purpose of the commandment that Christ left with us (love God, love your neighbor)? Well, here he gives specific direction that a key way to do that is by living in community, meeting with other believers who add some personal “oomph” to the mix… the kind that comes from different perspectives, life stories, journeys, and yes, even from differing opinions. The NIV says Heb. 10:24 this way:
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (emphasis added). Spur… like when you are riding a horse and they are a little reluctant to “giddy up”. The horse in this metaphor is us, lol. Sometimes we need to get the spurs from another in order to get it in gear and get on with where we should be going.
Occasionally the community saves us from hardship, or an unintentional hardening of heart from a faulty perspective. Like say, your milk is sour and you can’t smell it (thank you honey!), but maybe in more of a Christian-walk way, perhaps adding context and compassion for someone we otherwise would turn our nose at. Spurring us on to do the good works God has called us to in the first place.
Prayers and Petition 