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When We Meet Together

 


David wrote in the book of Psalms, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord’. Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!” (Psalms 122:1-2)

David recognized the great joy that only comes from going into the house of the Lord. He wrote many Psalms of praise unto God. Many of these we sing today. He loved to meditate on God’s holy word. He recognized the necessity of His word for guiding through all the pitfalls of this life.

Today, we also recognize the unmistakable joy that comes when we gather together on the first day of the week. It is during which that we take a timeout from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives and focus our minds back to what is most important. We focus on God, His great love for us, and the great hope that we as Christians have. Think about some of the great benefits we receive when we come together.

We exhort one another. The Hebrew writer stated, “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.”

We exhort one another in various ways. We encourage one another with a friendly smile and a warm handshake. We feel love for one another just as Paul wrote about. He said, “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26). One of the great joys of our assembly is to give and receive encouragement from one another.

We remember the sacrifice of our Lord. Every first day of the week, we commemorate His death upon the cross for us. Paul wrote, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the lord’s death till He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

During this time, we bring our minds in from the cares of the world and focus on our great salvation that only Christ brings. It is only through the blood that Jesus shed upon the cross that gives us redemption and forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 1:7). When we remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us upon the cross, we stand in awe of the great depths of His love for each of us. It reminds us that no matter what the world thinks of us or how they treat us, there is one who loves us more than we could ever fathom!

It is truly a joy to enter into the assembly of our Lord. When we do, we feel the great love of God, the love of our brethren, and we are reminded that we are not alone in this old world. May we continue to grow in the love we have for coming together as the people of God.

God Bless each of you,

Eric Hicks

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