And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:24-25 (NRSV)
What are some good ways to provoke love and good deeds? Have you provoked such things in others? Have others provoked such things in you? How? Why is it good to meet together? Why do we need to encourage one another?
Yesterday at Bible study a couple came up to me before we started to share with me wonderful news, she is pregnant. As always happens when people share with me their great news I smiled hugely and couldn’t wait to tell everyone else. If I am asked not to tell people things I don’t, but joyous news is hard for me to keep in. I asked if I could share their wonderful news and they gave me the okay.
We went through all of the Bible study and had our prayer requests afterward. For the final prayer request I asked that everyone keep the couple in their prayers because, “They are pregnant!”
The best part about sharing good news in front of a group of people is watching everyone’s faces. In an instant I witnessed the crowd in front of me transformed into joy, as everyone turned to the couple to celebrate and rejoice with them. And for a moment I saw a slice of the kingdom of God and I couldn’t be happier.
Meeting together will inevitably provoke love and good deeds! We were not made to be alone, but made to live together. As we grow together we will always find more people to love, and more people who love us. In our world it is hard to make it through some days. If we lack encouragement it is a good time to make it back to a church home where we can discover we are not going through things alone. I pray that if you are reading this a cloud of love and good deeds surrounds you. If not my prayer is that soon such wonderful things will surround you. There is a church out there waiting for you!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
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