Don’t Forsake Community
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
For nearly the past year, the church has been forced to radically alter how we do business in light of this global health crisis. The pandemic has forced us to leave our facilities, remain in our homes, and worship God in our living rooms, rather than in the sanctuary, while we wait for things to get better.
It has prevented us from fellowshipping together. It has presented obstacles we could have never foreseen. Some people are literally paranoid, understandably so, about the prospect of being around others and they cannot envision a time when they will feel comfortable coming back, joining hands in prayer, lifting up the songs of Zion, or giving one another a high five.
But even in the midst of so much change, we must not remain in a state of fear, and we must not forsake engaging with community out of anxiousness. I’m not saying to put your health in danger. But I am saying that just because it’s more comfortable to attend church in your living room while you’re wearing your pajamas doesn’t mean that’s how God intended it.
The Lord wants us to be in community. He wants us to worship together. And while I realize there are some limitations that are keeping some of us from doing that in the way we’re accustomed to, that doesn’t mean we should forsake it all together. Amazing things happen when the people of the church unite to worship and grow together. May we not forget that in this time of extreme isolation. And may we ask the Lord to renew the desire in our heart to engage once again with our community, however that may be, so that He can continue working in our hearts by the encouragement and sanctification that comes from being in relationship with fellow believers.
For nearly the past year, the church has been forced to radically alter how we do business in light of this global health crisis. The pandemic has forced us to leave our facilities, remain in our homes, and worship God in our living rooms, rather than in the sanctuary, while we wait for things to get better.
It has prevented us from fellowshipping together. It has presented obstacles we could have never foreseen. Some people are literally paranoid, understandably so, about the prospect of being around others and they cannot envision a time when they will feel comfortable coming back, joining hands in prayer, lifting up the songs of Zion, or giving one another a high five.
But even in the midst of so much change, we must not remain in a state of fear, and we must not forsake engaging with community out of anxiousness. I’m not saying to put your health in danger. But I am saying that just because it’s more comfortable to attend church in your living room while you’re wearing your pajamas doesn’t mean that’s how God intended it.
The Lord wants us to be in community. He wants us to worship together. And while I realize there are some limitations that are keeping some of us from doing that in the way we’re accustomed to, that doesn’t mean we should forsake it all together. Amazing things happen when the people of the church unite to worship and grow together. May we not forget that in this time of extreme isolation. And may we ask the Lord to renew the desire in our heart to engage once again with our community, however that may be, so that He can continue working in our hearts by the encouragement and sanctification that comes from being in relationship with fellow believers.
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