Five Invitations - Day 25
DAY 25 - Don’t Be Alone
Genesis 2:18; Hebrews 10:25
Our church used to be a polling place, so a few voters mistakenly come here to vote. I talked with one voter recently who asked if I was the pastor. We ended up talking about faith and church. He lost the habit of worshiping with others some years ago but still meets online for Bible study with a friend. Unprompted by me, he said, “It’s just not the same. I need more. I need fellowship with other people.”
Like you and me, he needs other people. He needs to belong. God invites us to belong. Throughout the Bible, God’s always trying to make a family. God builds one family to bless every family. Jesus called together and sent together disciples. Paul organized Jesus-followers into local gatherings called churches.
For all the failures and flaws of the church, God meets us and changes us for the better in Christian community. God invites us to belong.
Do you want to connect more with God? Bless, embrace, commit. Or put it this way: embrace the beautiful mess of church.
I’ve been blessed by the beautiful mess of church. Brothers and sisters in Christ have helped me, encouraged me, and challenged me. It’s not always good. I’ve been hurt by other Christians, too. But my relationship with God suffers when I lean away from other Christians too long. God nudges me to embrace the beautiful mess of church.
What’s one step you can take to belong in a Christian community?
Your next step might be one of these:
REFLECT:
What’s one step you can take to belong in a Christian community?
PRAY:
Father, it’s not good for me to be alone. Help me take one step to belong more in Christian community. Amen.
Genesis 2:18; Hebrews 10:25
Our church used to be a polling place, so a few voters mistakenly come here to vote. I talked with one voter recently who asked if I was the pastor. We ended up talking about faith and church. He lost the habit of worshiping with others some years ago but still meets online for Bible study with a friend. Unprompted by me, he said, “It’s just not the same. I need more. I need fellowship with other people.”
Like you and me, he needs other people. He needs to belong. God invites us to belong. Throughout the Bible, God’s always trying to make a family. God builds one family to bless every family. Jesus called together and sent together disciples. Paul organized Jesus-followers into local gatherings called churches.
For all the failures and flaws of the church, God meets us and changes us for the better in Christian community. God invites us to belong.
Do you want to connect more with God? Bless, embrace, commit. Or put it this way: embrace the beautiful mess of church.
I’ve been blessed by the beautiful mess of church. Brothers and sisters in Christ have helped me, encouraged me, and challenged me. It’s not always good. I’ve been hurt by other Christians, too. But my relationship with God suffers when I lean away from other Christians too long. God nudges me to embrace the beautiful mess of church.
What’s one step you can take to belong in a Christian community?
Your next step might be one of these:
- Moving from worship online to an in-person visit.
- Mingling more with others before and after worship.
- Joining a small group after the new year.
- Committing to church membership.
- Publicly reaffirming your faith after time away from church.
- Publicly affirming your faith for the first time through baptism.
- Taking the first step of faith by welcoming Jesus.
REFLECT:
What’s one step you can take to belong in a Christian community?
PRAY:
Father, it’s not good for me to be alone. Help me take one step to belong more in Christian community. Amen.
Posted in Fall 2022
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The Way DAY 9 - Full of the Holy SpiritThe Way DAY 10 - Defeating Your DefeatersThe Way DAY 11 - The Year of JubileeThe Way DAY 12 - FreedomThe Way DAY 13 - Freedom to LoveThe Way DAY 14 - Ditch "What About Me"The Way DAY 15 - The Way of LoveThe Way DAY 16 - The TeacherThe Way DAY 17 - What is the Kingdom of God?The Way DAY 18 - Trust and ObeyThe Way DAY 19 - Follow MeThe Way DAY 20 - Differences and DisagreementsThe Way DAY 21 - Jesus and Mr. RogersThe Way DAY 22 - Respond Like JesusThe Way DAY 23 - Bend Toward MercyThe Way DAY 24 - Burden or Bless?The Way DAY 25 - BONUS: The TwelveThe Way DAY 26 - Happy?The Way DAY 27 - Excessive GenerosityThe Way DAY 28 - What is Love?The Way DAY 29 - Give What God Gives
March
The Way DAY 30 - Follow the LeaderThe Way DAY 31 - Dinner with a PhariseeThe Way DAY 32 - Don't Be the HeroThe Way DAY 33 - God's GraceThe Way DAY 34 - The Grace You ShowThe Way DAY 35 - Our Sin and Our SaviorThe Way DAY 36 - Jesus and ParablesThe Way DAY 37 - The Farmer and the SeedsThe Way DAY 38 - The Seed and The SoilThe Way DAY 39 - The Good HeartThe Way DAY 40 - Who is Jesus, Pt 1The Way DAY 41 - Who is Jesus, Pt 2The Way DAY 42 - They Saw His GloryThe Way DAY 43 - Your Next StepThe Way DAY 44 - His DevotionThe Way DAY 45 - The Leadership of JesusThe Way DAY 46 - Pick Up Your CrossThe Way DAY 47 - Daily DenialThe Way DAY 48 - Forgive Like JesusThe Way DAY 49 - Trusting God
April
Because of Easter DAY 1Because of Easter DAY 2Because of Easter DAY 3Because of Easter DAY 4Because of Easter DAY 5Because of Easter DAY 6Because of Easter DAY 7Because of Easter DAY 8Because of Easter DAY 9New Devo Starts SoonPsalms DAY 1Psalms DAY 2Psalms DAY 3Psalms DAY 4Psalms DAY 5Psalms DAY 6Psalms DAY 7
2023
June
COMING SOON! RevelationRevelation Day 1 - TAKE IT TO HEARTRevelation Day 2 - IN THE SPIRITRevelation Day 3 - Learning to SeeRevelation Day 4 - The VoiceRevelation Day 5 - A Faithful WitnessRevelation DAY 6 - Past, Present, or Future?Revelation Day 7 - PRESS ONRevelation 8 - Comfort and ChallengeRevelation Day 9 - Compromised CommitmentRevelation Day 10 - I'm Fine, ThanksRevelation Day 11 - Holy, Holy, HolyRevelation Day 12 - Who is Worthy?Revelation Day 13 - Don't Give Up!Revelation Day 14 - No ContestRevelation Day 15 - Worship WellRevelation Day 16 - The Problem of EvilRevelation Day 17 - When You Don't Know WhyRevelation Day 18 - The Limits of SufferingRevelation Day 19 - Is God Angry?Revelation Day 20 - Saved Through Suffering
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