19 May May 17th Weekly Devotional
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25
I have heard this verse used many times over the years, but more often times than not, it is used with a negative connotation.
Many times I have heard this scripture used as a way of condemning those who would not, or choose not, to attend church services at any given appointed time.
Maybe a person comes to church on Sunday morning, but not on Sunday evening or Wednesday Bible study, and we say, “well, they are forsaking the assembling”.
Maybe they come to Sunday morning worship services, but they don’t come to bible class, and we say the same thing.
Don’t get me wrong, if the church doors are open, I encourage everyone to be inside them if at all possible. You are better off inside the church building walls with those of a like mind than you are outside the church walls with those of a worldly mind.
Which brings the point to the rest of us. There is a huge responsibility on the rest of us of course, to be those of a like mind, and by like mind, a mind of Christ.
Is Hebrews 10:24-25 a condemning verse? What does it say?
Consider one another-look past yourself, and think of others, putting the needs/desires/wants of others above your own.
Stir up love-encourage others to do good, and in doing so, this is going to encourage you to do good as well. Caring for each other. Love and serve others around you and encourage others to do likewise. Be thoughtful. Consider others needs and feelings. Give praise.
Stir up good works-being a Christian is about relationships. The first and great commandment is loving the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind. The second is like it and almost as important, loving your neighbor as yourself. You want the same good things for your neighbor as you do for yourself. Spiritually speaking, you want salvation for your neighbor just like you do for your own self. Who is your neighbor? Everyone.
Stirring up love and good works go hand in hand.
Now the condemning part, not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as is the manner of some.
The reason that I want to be together, not forgetting to be together, is so I can love, and stir up love, and be loved and be stirred up, and to encourage, and to be encouraged. To give praise and to be praised. To care for others, and to be cared for. To serve others and to be served by others. To love, and to be loved. To need others and To be needed. To appreciate others and To be appreciated. To look up to others and To be looked up to. To be a friend, and to have a friend. To be around people that I want to be around, and likewise, to be a person that others want to be around.
The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28
It’s not about me, it’s about everyone else. When both sides have that same mindset, it works, because if I am thinking of others instead of myself, the next person is thinking of others instead of their self, and when they are thinking of others, that includes me, so my needs are being met, and theirs are being met, because I am thinking of them, and serving them, and stirring up love and good works in them, and encouraging them. Get it????
God thinks of everything. He’s a genius.
Why do I do all this “not forsaking the assembling”? Because so much more as I see the Day approaching.
I’m not getting any younger, neither are you. Each day we are blessed to live, we are a little closer to dying and going to our eternal home. Where’s it going to be?
Let’s be the church that others will not want to forsake assembling with. Let’s be the church that others can’t wait until the next time when they can see us again, and we can see them again.
Hebrews 10:24-25 is not a condemning verse, it is an encouraging verse, and always has been.
So during a busy week, don’t forsake to assemble, and don’t forsake to assemble the next day either while you’re at it. We want to see you. We miss you.
