Stirring Our Affections: OTHERS (Daily Encouragement Series)
“…since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. – Hebrews 10:21-25
Last night we had a church Zoom call where I briefly shared on Hebrews 10:21-25. In sharing it with our church family, I was simultaneously experiencing what it is teaching.
I was struck by the “plural-ness” of the passage: “Let US hold fast”, “OUR hope”, “Let US consider how to stir up ONE ANOTHER”, “meet TOGETHER”, “encouraging ONE ANOTHER.”
It is abundantly clear that we need others to stir our affections for Christ. The Bible assumes it, teaches it and commands it. And last night, I experienced it as my affections for Christ were stirred as I saw faces I haven’t seen, heard voices I haven’t been able to hear, got updates I hadn’t heard, listened to laughs I haven’t been able to enjoy, saw dogs and kids and cats I haven’t seen, and heard prayer requests I hadn’t received.
The foundation and the call of the church hasn’t changed with this pandemic: Jesus is still the head, Jesus is still reigning and ruling over all things (including the church). The call is the same – draw near to God, have assurance of faith, live out of our new identity as cleansed and pure, hold fast to the hope we have without wavering, trust that God is faithful to what he has promised, stir one another up to love and good works, don’t neglect to meet together, encourage one another. (Can you believe all of that is in 4 verses – amazing!)
What WE need to do is “consider” how to do those things in our current circumstanceS: “let US consider how to stir one another up to love and good works and not neglect to meet together.” (24-25).
The two primary ways we have right now to “meet together” and “stir one another up” is our Sunday online gathering and our Daily Encouragement. Continue to join us on Sunday and we will be sharing new opportunities that will help encourage and stir one another up in the weeks to come. And also, I would encourage you to pick up the phone, interact on social media, write cards etc.
Jesus hasn’t changed. Jesus call for His church hasn’t changed. We just need to “consider” how to be about his purposes for the sake of one another.