Day 12 – Connecting

"Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."
Hebrews 10:22-25

Hi, my name is Chris, and I’m addicted to Heroes.

If you haven’t caught this show, you need to. It is one of the most original, fun, and addictive shows on television. The show tells the story of several people who thought they were like everyone else until they realized they have incredible abilities such as telepathy, time travel, flight and spontaneous regeneration. At first, they can’t control their powers very well, with some doing better than others. One by one they learn how to control these abilities and have to choose whether to use their powers for personal gain or for something bigger than themselves. Each of these people have a unique story, but feel as though they are supposed to do more than just get through this life without anyone catching on to their secret. Over time, they realize they have a role in preventing a major catastrophe and saving mankind from certain doom. They begin to find each other and eventually discover that they are most effective when they work together.

And that’s the church.

Because of what Jesus did for us, every single one of us have something amazing that has taken place within us, changing us into something else. If we have a relationship with Jesus, the Bible says that we have been raised from spiritual death to spiritual life. Also, God places His Spirit inside us as a seal of His promise not only to come for us one day, but also to empower us to live this life filled with joy, peace and faith in God. On top of all that, God has given each Christ follower spiritual gifts that enable to carry out their unique mission in this life. And if this is true about those who follow Jesus, then why are there so many Christians who don’t experience that power? Why are there so many Christians who have these incredible abilities and yet they choose to act like everybody else?

The answer is simple. Most Christians don’t realize that they are more effective when they are together.

In the passage above, the writer of Hebrews is imploring the followers of Christ to recognize the immense power found in community. “Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do” the writer says. But not just to say that we put in our time in the church house this week. He wants us to “think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Attending church is not about checking off a box to say that you go to church. It is about connecting with other followers who have the same Spirit living inside them, who are going through the same struggles you are going through and who need someone encouraging them to continue forward just as we need that same encouragement. In Christ, we are heroes! But our power and joy and peace in this life are only realized in full when we come together.

Let’s admit. Time is precious. But with so many “important” things that steal our time, and so many “priorities” that don’t really satisfy the deepest needs of our souls, shouldn’t we be most committed to the one entity on earth that God has set up to bring out the best of who we are?

Hi, my name is Chris, and I’m addicted to the Church!

As you pray, let these thoughts prompt your discussion with God.
Thank God for placing His Spirit inside you and ask Him to make you more aware of the Holy Spirit’s activity in your life.
Thank God that He has placed you in a church where you can be encouraged to become the person you were meant to be.
Ask God to help you understand how important the church really is in your life and in this world.
Commit to God that you will not give up meeting together, as so many are in the habit of doing.
Think about one person in your life who needs the community of faith and ask God for an opportunity to invite them to church with you on Sunday.
Think of someone in your life who needs you to motivate them to acts of love and good works and ask God to help you encourage them through a note, email or phone call.