This weekend Linda and I are taking a trip to Arkansas with some really good friends, Steve and Kathy.
Being a pastor, a dad, a granddad, a chief engineer, a production director, and trying to do everything to keep a house and church running smooth can wear a person down. Linda deals with pre-K children every day and that can frazzle the nerves of an adult.
The closer it gets the more excited Linda and I get about going, relaxing, having fun, and doing nothing!
Even though I know we’ll have fun, I know it will be much too short and we’ll be back to the aforementioned lifestyle next week.
However there is another trip that all Christians will make one of these days and I get excited thinking about it too!
But I read a scripture this morning that shed new light on this “trip”.
It is written let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Heb. 10:23-25
I believe that just as the four of us are encouraging one another about our trip, Christians should be encouraging one another about their trip; exhorting one another.
Just as the four of us are planning on getting together and talking about our trip, Christians should be getting together and talking about the trip; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.
Just as the four of us excite each other when we get together, Christians should also excite each other about the trip; let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.
Just as four of us are praying that nothing will hinder us from making this trip, Christians should be praying that nothing hinders them either; hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.
If you aren’t excited about going on the Godly trip, then perhaps you haven’t been gathering with the other travelers.
If you aren’t excited about this trip, perhaps you haven’t seen the agenda that God has in store for us.
Maybe you’ve wavered and cannot get excited about the trip. Too many things have intruded into your life that you see no hope.
Get together with other Christians in your local fellowship (church) and receive and give encouragement about the trip.
We are encouraged in God’s word to do so.