(I am writing this on April 30, early yesterday morning.) Our Idaho Governor has an update today on the four steps to open Idaho. As of right now, the plan is to allow churches to once again assemble beginning May 1, along with retail stores and some businesses if guidelines are followed. I am praying nothing changes in the next few hours.
“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 will admit, I am tired of the various and differing messages promoted by the media, politicians, scientists. Even doctors are having a difficult time finding a common message. I am also having a difficult time with all the various and differing messages coming from pastors, denominations, prophetic, and other religious-styled organizations. Throw in economists, small business owners, frightened and vulnerable people and there is not a moment of peace. Opinions abound. Facts are few. Truth seems unreachable.
Amid the turmoil, however, Christians are reminded of a few things that are true in the Hebrews verses above.
First, we are to “consider one other.”
Second, the purpose in our considering of one another “to stir up love and good works … exhorting (encouraging) one another.”
Third, we are not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together.”
I have always considered the appeals of those Hebrews verses to be easy to do. Not difficult at all to get up on a Sunday morning and go to church. Not difficult at all to encourage others, to hug people, to smile and be friendly. But this fear- and virus-pandemic has made those things extremely difficult or impossible now.
Although it has done one other thing … it has made that approaching “Day” seem a lot brighter and a lot closer.
