Take this day to catch up on your reading, pray, and rest in the presence of the Lord.
And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.
—Hebrews 10:24–25
[x]
Leave a Reply
36 thoughts on "Grace Day"
Lord help me keep this perspective
We can be very grateful for technology that helps us gather and stay in touch. I’m afraid the parallel doesn’t fit here. Speaking as a person who lost a parent to this disease and making an effort not to judge those who still think it’s appropriate and wise to meet in person. It’s less about far and more about wisdom.
First, do not live in fear. God has promised blessings when we gather in love and trust. Obviously don’t show up when sick. My husband and I have had the privilege and blessing of meeting with 3-4 other couples in our homes during the entire time our church shut down. The joy and strength that has come from this has been beyond measure. Can you imagine if the early church had listened to authorities tell them they could no longer meet for fear of death? Where would Christianity be today? They chose not to live in fear but rather obedience to the Lord God. Now we want to remain as a home church as we have grown so close in the Lord! Look around you for a group of couples or even women who would love to gather and share scriptures and pray together. Bless you!
Let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works. This translation brings new meaning to this verse for me. Considering others needs will prompt me to show love to them in different ways. God wants us to care for one another and not give up on doing this when times are difficult.
It’s crazy how God speaks to us like that, isn’t it! That has happened to me before. Something I was reading in a bible study at home, someone else shared with me and then we had the same verse at church this week. I just said, ok God, I’m listening
I have seen that a forum like this is a great form of gathering and encouragement :) I hope this helps :)
This verse was from my Bible in a year reading plan, yesterday!
Amen
How do we embrace this truth in the age of COVID when we can’t gather together? How are you all handling that? It’s been a struggle. We are gathering as a nuclear family but it has been hard.
Welcome Beverly! This is my first study to join the group with. I’ve really enjoyed it so far! I hope you do too!
Welcome Beverly, I too am new and excited to share and learn. Taking time to rest is a new spiritual discipline I will lean into this on this beautiful snowy Sunday. Opening my Bible now❤️
The greatest of these is love!
Welcome Beverly Watley – we are so glad you are joining us !
Being in this community has been life changing for me and I am so grateful
for the devotions and community whom God has blessed with wisdom.
Hello, Good evening everybody. I’m new to SRT and I’m very excited to get started. I’m also looking forward to chatting with you all ❤️ God bless you all, we’ll chat later.
I like how this translation helped me to think about this verse in a new light. When we consider or think about others, we are moved to love and care for them. Father, help me to take my eyes off myself and to see the needs of those around me. Give me grace to love and serve those around me this week. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Keep stirring up one another unto love and good works. I love that calling. I am thankful for all of you. Thank you for continually provoking me to seek God, seek truth and to stand firm to godly values. Though I am isolated not by choice, I am gathering with you here every single day and I am in the circle of godly counsel through your comments. Have a blessed weekend sisters.
Thank you Maura.
Considering one another. How important! We seem to be in an age of so much self-centeredness. This spoke volumes.
❤️
❤️
Mari V so glad your Mom is doing better. Praying for your son and family member. May Jesus bring His healing for all. Thankful too for the technology during this time and all the ways our Lord provides. He is so so good. His faithfulness ensures forever. What joy!
My heart sunk a little when I read, “not neglecting to gather together.” Most of my friends feel different about the coronavirus than I do. They don’t wear a mask, social distance, or take any precautions. I have not been able to gather with most of them because of this. I am thankful for this group of sisters that meet here and share their thoughts. I don’t often share because I probably don’t have anything new to share, but I often pray for those who share their prayer request, and I journal so many of your insights that speak into my life. Thank you SRT!
Lord thank you for grace.
One more thing… My mom is almost fully recovered from Covid. She was becoming depressed as her appetite was suppressed along with nausea. Plus we had a crisis in the family worsening her symptoms. Thankfully she is much better. Pray for my son whose taste is not fully back yet. But nothing stops him from eating LOL. Pray as he’s made the transition from on campus University to online saving him so much money. I know it’s sad for him not to be on campus. It’s sad for me too. Please continue to pray for a very special family member who struggles with mental illness. Pray that he gets the right kind of help.
….. not neglecting to gather together,…. but encouraging each other. Like the old saying goes: where there’s a will, there’s a way. This is when technology has been a blessing. All of us here have not stopped gathering with one another. I am grateful for this ministry SRT. We may not see each other face-to-face but we are meeting. I am grateful for all of you. Nothing stops God’s children. With technology today we’ve all been able to meet in our churches via the Internet, zoom, YouTube and even television. God is good.
❤️
We love because He loved us first, let us keep provoking love and good works ❤️
What a beautiful picture of what godly relationships should look like….stirring up love and good works, being available to one another. Thank you all, as always, for sharing how God is speaking to you through our shared reading. It stirs me up, too!❤️
As we see “the Day” approaching may we think more of others and how we can purposely love them through these dark, hard days. How can I bring a smile to the faces of people around me? Being a good listener. Being intentional about reaching out when they are quarantined: through sending a door dash meal, a note, a grocery sack of flu-needs, flowers, or a sample from your daily bakings with some tea. Meet with your church family, even physically distanced, not to be social and check in each other. Meet outdoors in parking lots, in parks, on patio areas, in worship centers with a few people at a time. Do love people safely around you physically by masking up and being 6’ apart but not socially distanced.
I like the term “provoke love”
Good points Churchmouse. I’ve been blessed to have weekly Zoom visits with some distant & very dear friends (sisters in Christ) as well as re-establishing a Bible study group, working through Daniel currently. Being consistent here on SRT has been another great blessing!
Be refreshed, friends!
God knew we needed to be together when he created the world. He also knew of this pandemic and encouraged us “to not neglect gathering together.” Fear finds us when we are isolated and the Lord knows we need each other and the presence of fellow Christians to stand strong against the enemy.
The book of Hebrews was written in a time of persecution. The author is exhorting them to stand firm in the faith. It would be easier for them to do that if they gathered together for encouragement. As for them then, so too for us today. Though we may not be able to gather physically due to the pandemic, we can remain connected by more traditional methods. I received an actual handwritten letter from a friend, full of Scripture promises. Emails and texts are good but that handwritten letter, snail mail, really touched my heart. A friend and I had an actual phone conversation, sharing what we’re learning about ourselves and the Lord in this unique time. That call was a huge blessing. For one who has not been physically in a church for ten months, these connections are lifelines. Let us reach out to a fellow Christian today in a tangible way. Let us stand firm together even from six feet, or more, apart.
Provoke love and good works!
“In response to all He has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind to each other and in doing good…” The Living Bible
May this be my goal today and everyday – to out serve those around me.