Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 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.
Man was not created to be alone. We need people. We need one another if we want to grow spiritually. We need each other for encouragement and support. We were made for fellowship. The Greek words for fellowship mean partnering for mutual benefits. We have the benefit of love, support, encouragement, and unity.
These verses remind us that we need to be thinking of how we can encourage one another and demonstrate our love for others. Spurring one another on toward love and good deeds starts in our minds. It is a conscious choice and effort that we make. And it is not something we can do from afar. It requires being together in love and fellowship.
The early Christians faced great persecution for their faith. Because of this they gave up on meeting together. The writer of Hebrews reminded them that they needed one another if they were going to grow spiritually. The importance of this was not only for day to day living, but also looking to the future when Christ returns. He doesn’t want any to perish and neither should we.
And things are not changed in the 2000 years since those early church times. Believers have many excuses for why they don’t meet with other believers or attend church. If we learned anything from our experience with the Covid pandemic it is that isolation is not good for us. Look at how many people struggled with mental health, addiction, and destructive behaviors. We NEED people in our lives. And as Christians we need our fellow believers to help us grow. We need to be supporting and encouraging one another on a regular basis.
The New Living Translation wording in Acts 4:32-35 gives us a wonderful example of Christian fellowship. “All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.”
If you are not attending a church or fellowshipping with believers, today is the day to seek that out. Find a family of believers that will encourage you in your walk and support you through your struggles. Quit trying to live life alone. Open your heart to the love of other believers and be encouraged and empowered.
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