Saturday night I came down with a GI “bug.” Not sure if it was a “bug” or food poisoning. Somehow that mattered little since the effects were the same. It got bad fast Saturday night, 102-degree fever, chills and all the GI side-shows. I had to call in backup to handle church on Sunday since it was evident I wasn’t going to be in any condition to show up. Thankfully, I have good people willing to cover for me.
We need each other. No one is an island unto himself/herself. God put us in natural families for a reason, as a wonderful picture of the family of God. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “[Jesus Christ] died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” [5:10-11 NKJV]
Look at that wonderful phrase, “we should live together with Him.” That isn’t just for some future heavenly abode, that’s for now. We live together, as brothers and sisters with Him. As such Paul reminds us we should be comforting and edifying each other.
We are to comfort each other. The word is parakaleo (par-ak-al-eh’-o), a form of the word used to describe the Holy Spirit as the Comforter. It means to call near, to invite, implore, exhort encourage. We are to hold our brothers and sisters near, invite them into our lives so that we can encourage each other.
We are to edify each other also. That word edify is oikodomeo (oy-kod-om-eh’-o) and it means to be a house-builder, to build up. The world is set on tearing down. We tear down our leaders, both religious and secular. We tear down others who don’t think, look, or act like us. That seems to be the atmosphere of current culture. But that can never be the atmosphere in the family of God.
Sunday morning other members of the family of God stepped in and ministered last minute in my place. I am so thankful to be among people who comfort and edify. Amen!
