(This week’s devotions are based on Sunday’s message: Win the Day…Eat the Frog – LISTEN HERE)
“I’ll do it if you do it!”
Remember when you were facing a challenge for the first time and had a fear or hesitancy to do it? Perhaps it was jumping off the high dive for the first time. Or maybe it was going to the Prom. We like people to do things with us if we are a bit scared or have never done something before.
Engaging is easier if we see someone else do it first.
Having a community of believers is a blessing because we are surrounded by individuals who are doing life as followers of Jesus. We may be hesitant to be bold in speaking, make Christianity a daily reality, or engage in a daily reading of the Bible, but if we know others are doing it and inviting and encouraging us to be part of it, it gets easier.
Especially in the times in which we live.
We are being bombarded by messages from the world around us that are challenging us to accept lies as truth, engage in lifestyles as if any choice is normal and ok, accept deviant behavior as normal and blame anyone but the individual if evil is perpetuated. It’s tough to stand on the solid foundation of God’s truth when it is being challenged from so many different directions and in so many different ways. It’s easy to give in…just a little…to fit in.
So we need each other to eat the frog…to make sure that the Lord and his Word of truth are daily part of our lives.
We are not the first era to need this.
The writer to the Hebrews wrote this:
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 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.
Hold “unswervingly” to the hope we profess…don’t give an inch! We need each other to not give in.
Spur one another on toward love and good deeds…it’s hard to love those that are a challenge to love and to know what is the loving thing to do…We need each other to keep going.
Don’t give up meeting together…We need to see each other, be in the same space as each other, have conversations with each other, be around the Word with each other!
Can I encourage you to commit to being in worship each week? Put it on the calendar as a non-negotiable. Schedule around it. With rare exception, make it your commitment to be in worship. We need you and you need us. Honestly. We need a place where we can be encouraged by the Word together and be an encouragement to each other. Live-stream is nice, but we don’t see you, hear from you, or able to worship and praise with your. Zoom is helpful, but we don’t have your undivided attention or you real time expressions and interaction.
Eating the frog can be hard…we need each other. We need to do it together!
Apply: Make a commitment to be with your Christian family at least once a week in worship. Add to that being in person, if at all possible, for a group Bible study. We need each other!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the community of believers and the encouragement they are to me. Help me to not only receive encouragement but to give encouragement by committing to being with my Christian family weekly. AMEN.