I looked at my calendar today and saw that I still had down Awana Fun Fair. Well, we have not met for Awana for a few weeks, but we have done a couple virtual PreSchool meetings and we worked on verses at home, so some of the purpose of the meeting was still met. We also had fun tonight as our family played outdoors after dinner for a bit, just not the same large group gathering with games that was originally planned at the church. How was your church gathering this past week? If like us, maybe some family members still had on pajamas and the dog attended as well. My wife is maybe a little more happy, as she has heard the sermon now three weeks in a row because she has not been downstairs helping with kids, like she normally does. I know the Youth Group has had several opportunities to meet virtually each week using their phones and computers for Jetson’s style video chats. We did the same with our small group a couple times and we had a meeting for work last week where I could pan through over 200 faces watching during a conference. I even exchanged emails with a friend from another part of the state I usually see face-to-face once each year and probably learned more in the email than I would in direct conversation. So, relationships and things are still happening, but they are just different lately. Have things been more difficult for you or even better in some ways recently because of social distancing? Do you appreciate anything a little more now than before?
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25
Earlier today, I had an inclination to send an encouraging text to a small group of guys that I usually meet with every couple of weeks. I didn’t, but then I thought how easy it would be to do this on a daily basis, which I have done before. So, even though I may seemingly have more opportunities during the day now to do things like this, I still don’t do them. I will make it a point going forward to send at least one message per day, to give my wife and kids an extra hug, to spend an extra 5 minutes in prayer and the Word, all because I can and have the time to do so. Honestly, I had time before, but really just never made it a point to always do this, apparently because it was not a priority. May you find new ways of sharing the love of Christ with others in the coming days that still makes a difference in your life and theirs, even though you may not be able to shake a hand or give a hug. Love transcends distance, so lets continue to find new ways to show this as God enables us!
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Yours in Christ,
Clark
