We Need One Another

Recently I was starting a fire in our fireplace when I was reminded of why we need each other and why it's vital to be a part of a body of believers. I had a match, some wood, some starter material, and some paper. However, if I didn't put all of those together, it would be impossible to start a significant fire in our fireplace. If I struck the match, it would soon burn out without other material. If I tried to start the wood, it wouldn't start without help from the kindling, match, paper, etc. If I just burned the paper, it would soon burn away. If I just burned the starter log without other wood logs to go with it, it wouldn't last long nor give out enough heat for a warm fire.

Yesterday I went to church for the first time since my surgery. I needed to stay home those four weeks in order to be well enough to go back to church, but I have to admit that during those weeks away from the body on Sunday mornings, I began to feel spiritually dry. You see, I think we are like those materials needed to start the fire. We need each other in order to "work properly." Even though I could study my Bible at home, I had visits from many friends from church, and I stayed connected in other ways, I NEED to be with the body of believers that meets together every Sunday morning. I believe that, like the match without the other materials, I would fizzle soon without being with the body weekly. Like the paper, I need the encouragement of fellow believers to do what I'm called to do and without that, I would "burn out" quickly. Just like the starter logs in the fireplace, if I didn't have other Christians to draw strength from, I would just quickly waste away.

The next time you build a fire or are outside at a bonfire, just pull one of the hot embers away from the fire and see what happens to it. Without the rest of the fire, it will soon fade away and go out.

So, as Christians, we need to make being together a priority in our lives if at all possible, because, without the body, it's impossible to grow and mature spiritually. We need the "fuel" that we get from each person there as we worship and serve our Lord together.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.......Hebrews 10:25