Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10:23-24 (NLT)
For Reflection:
As you read this scripture, pay attention to what stands out to you. How do you react to this scripture? Does it excite you with encouragement? Does it tighten your chest with judgement or fear? Does it spark a particular thought or call for action? Does it bring memories of positive or negative experiences of meeting with God’s people? Name it all in the presence of your creator.
Once I notice my initial reaction, I start to think back over my own encouraging experiences meeting together with others who love Jesus. I remember the communal worship at a conference that felt like a moment of heaven on Earth. I remember the small group where I shared hard things and prayers covered me in peace. I remember the conversation with a friend that allowed me to wrestle through what I really thought about that scripture and how that informed my picture of God. I remember the text at just the right moment to ground my attention in God during a particularly stressful time. I remember verbally processing “how exactly do I be loving in this situation where I want to be anything but” to an ear that would spur me on towards Christlikeness. I remember hearing a sermon that felt like it was being spoken only to me as God would gently press his love into my tender spots, and I remember the person in my church community who, listening to that same sermon, could help me bring it forward into my actions and my life. These moments are precious, but they can be easy to miss, easy to get too busy for, easy to push against in a cynical view of past hurts. But these moments are where we get to dwell with God, “Where two or three are gathered, I am there with them.” (Matthew 18:20) These moments fill me with thankfulness that God would care for us through this passage by reminding us of all of the love, encouragement, and hopefulness that can be gained in meeting together as his community to remember his promises, be in his presence, and live out his love . I am thankful for the way he uses others to anchor us in hope. I encourage you to think about what experiences have shaped your view of Christian community. What is your current habit with Christian community? How can we engage in community in such a way as to encourage each other towards love and good deeds?
Let us pray:
Dear God,
I thank you for your promises, your love, your trustworthiness. I thank you for my Christian community and the ways they have encouraged me to turn my attention to you. I bring before you now any hurts that I hold from when your people have not acted in your love. I pray for forgiveness for any way that I have acted towards your people that has not encouraged them in your love. I pray your redemption over my bruised places. I pray for a welcoming and loving community for everyone to enter who seeks to follow you. I pray for new determination in keeping up habits of meeting with others, and that you would reveal how to be a part of this community. I pray that you would bring to mind ways that I can encourage others in love and how we can together anchor our hope in you. Amen
I wonder how meeting with other Christians has impacted my hope and acts of love.
I wonder how I can motivate another to acts of love and good works.