HOW WE LIVE: Meeting Together

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

Do you ever wake up on a Sunday morning (or on whichever day you usually go to church) and think, “Ugh…not today”?

Maybe it’s because you had a tough week and your body needs recovery. Or maybe you just don’t feel like you have the capacity to handle a certain person you know you’ll run into. Sometimes, you might not even have a specific reason. It just feels like too much work and you’re not sure if it’s worth the effort.

However, regularly gathering together with the people of God is of great personal benefit, though there will be many times we won’t feel like it at all.

A few caveats:

• This is not to say that we must always go to church—no matter what!! There may be seasons when the better decision may be to stay home, for any one of a number of reasons. The Holy Spirit is the perfect guide and will help you navigate these times.
• Additionally, “church” (as in scheduled weekly meetings) is not the only legitimate place for Christians to gather (nor should it be, perhaps, the primary one). The gathering of believers occurs around the dinner table in our homes, the hiking trails of our forests, or even _________________________ (fill-in-the-blank with your favorite spot to meet with God’s people).

Yet, the principle remains one we should take seriously. Christians meet regularly. Our faith is personal, but always lived out in the context of community. We need others to help us maintain faithfulness in the face of many temptations to fall away from Jesus.

The author of Hebrews identifies 2 benefits of meeting regularly with other believers:

1. Encouragement which spurs us on towards greater Christlikeness (Heb 10:24); and
2. The reminder that Jesus is coming back, motivating us to live in light of that reality in a world that makes it difficult (Heb 10:25)

So let’s not give up on meeting together, but continue to encourage one another as we wait in hope for the return of our King.