Together

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

I need to gather together with the church. There are
many reasons to gather but being in the church is
about being the church together. I believe we need
each other. I believe it's essential. Not like a
vitamin or a shot in the arm, but like protein; needed
all the time to be healthy.

I think we need to discover each other. What are you
about? Where are you at? How are we alike and
different? I think we should enjoy observing each
other's lives and desire to understand how others
"tick", or at least try to understand.

Then, when we are on the way to getting a grip on what
this other person is about, I think we're supposed
to provoke each other. Provoke is a word that is
often used to mean pushing someones's "hot buttons",
and getting them angry. But in the church, I think
we're supposed to awaken each other to do the right
thing, the godly thing, to take the path of love. I
think we need to challenge each other to take our
lives to higher levels of love. I think this is an
essential ingredient in togetherness in the church.

Another thing I think we need that we get from each
other when we gather is encouragement. This can mean
consoling, comforting, or urgently appealing to each
other.

What is an urgent appeal? I think of it as you and I having
very valuable information- words of life that we need to
speak to each other when we are down or looking like we're
veering off the path. It is a "from the heart" word, spoken
out of care and love rather than a "know it all", prideful place;
or a "get it together because you are bothering me" place.

The church is an organism where each part needs
various other parts. The hand needs the brain and the
heart, but it can not function without the arm. If
the hand said the the arm, "I don't need you", or "I'm
going to ignore you", or "all I need is the head";
that would be ludicrous. That's how it is when we
just want receive from God or from the Word or even just
from one person.

So, sometimes I think that we need to be reminded that
who and what is important is right in front of us. We
need each other. Being together is an active thing,
an activity. I need to be provoked and I need to provoke love.

I need you to come along my side and encourage me.
Someone might need to be consoled and still other ones
need an urgent message reminding them about Christ
and His soon return. We need to be together.