Devotional Thoughts: Iron

Many have sharpened me over the years and I hope I’ve sharpened others as well. Nobody get sharpened if meeting together is neglected. To those who say they do not need a group of believers to meet with, every day your fullness will take over and eventually you can lose your faith.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “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.”

I cannot become sharper if I’m not living out my faith in community. We need each other! God did not create us to live in isolation. Do not give up meeting together, Paul teaches us.

A retired pastor and friend encouraged me frequently and did so with tears in his eyes many times. He would also sit in my office and cry saying his daughter wasn’t involved in a faith community. She doesn’t know what she’s missing, he would say. We would pray together and ask God to bring his daughter into a church family. Charles passed away and I feel the void of a great encourager gone but I continue on in faith. His daughter is active in our church family, shares her faith online and has been on several mission trips since his passing! His prayer is answered and she is a great blessing to others!

If another iron isn’t sharpening you and you aren’t sharpening another you’re missing out on the great joy that comes in living in Christian community. I urge you to connect. Yes, there are disagreements in churches. Paul addressed many different topics of these in his letters. Other humans are not a good reason to walk away from God. Let’s sharpen one another today. Let’s reach out to those who do not understand our God and help them experience Christian community.

Lord, I pray for the Christian who lives in places where your people are not welcome. Send them divine encouragement today. Strengthen their faith and provide all they need to be a light in great darkness, in Jesus name, Amen.