Encouraging One Another

We have something different in your bulletin today: encouraging one another. I sent a text this morning for you to think on, to prepare your heart and mind to do exactly that—to be an encouragement to one another.

Here’s something I’ve been thinking about. The Bible gives us commands like, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works . . . encouraging one another all the more” (Hebrews 10:24–25).

God explicitly commands us to encourage each other in our gatherings. We do this through singing and hearing others’ voices, but how can we create space on Sunday mornings for explicit verbal encouragement? I’m thinking through that. I’m not exactly sure how, but I’ll tell you, I’m very thankful Anna Freeman brought coffee this morning. It’s going to help with exactly that.

So here’s what we’re going to do. Remember the good old-fashioned “stand up and shake one another’s hands”? The idea behind that was to encourage one another in the Lord, but it became somewhat routine and monotonous.

Here’s my idea: Take five to ten minutes and grab a coffee or another drink, but use that time to approach someone and offer specific, heartfelt words of encouragement. For instance, if I spoke to Amber, I might say, “Amber, I want to encourage you today, sister. Your courage and faithfulness to Jesus Christ are truly inspiring. You’re such an encouragement to me, and your ministry at Good Shepherd is making a real difference in our community. I just want to say: Press on in the Lord. Thank you, sister, for your faithfulness.”

Cool. Something like that, okay?

Let me pray for us. Then let’s take five to ten minutes and be an encouragement to one another. It doesn’t have to be weird. Get some coffee while you’re at it. We’ll try this on for size and see how we feel about it.

Father in heaven, we thank You for Your instructions to us, Lord. We’ve said many times that we’re not here to do church as we’d like to, but rather as You want us to. If You tell us to encourage one another, it must be important. So help us now to encourage each other. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Grab some coffee at your leisure. There’s also some hot chocolate, with a carafe of hot water provided for it. The coffee is beside the creamer. Thank you.

Yes, you want to call me? I was prepared.