Gather with other people!
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25, NKJV)
In my first blog post I talked about being in church 2 days after Pat died. What I did not report was that Pat and I were scheduled to start our small group that Sunday evening. Needless to say that did not happen and I prayed about that for a while! I had no peace in discarding the opportunity for this group, so in September I started the small group in my house. We met on Sunday evenings and I really looked forward to those wonderful nights. God sent folks to the group who were really searching Him and were thirsty for fellowship. Two of my dear members are now in heaven with my wife.
The picture above is of the Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church in the Smoky Mountains. It is a remembrance to me of how folks have gathered for centuries to share the gospel and to share fellowship together. At Village Park campus of First Baptist Church Leesburg, Florida I found my “spot” every Sunday morning on the first seat on the front row! As I made my way to my seat I would stop and greet my friends and new visitors. I would get much-needed hugs. The assembling of the saints helped comfort me and pointed me to The One who provides comfort, God Almighty.
As I attended church regularly, I had an opportunity to reflect on how much God loves me and how He had taken care of me over the years. The picture above is the hill where Jesus found me and saved me as a teenager on July 17, 1968. I had not made the connection to that date until I took this picture on October 23, 2015! A house sits there now, but as a teenager this was our church camp and the hill was called, Vesper Hill. For me it was the place I kneeled as a 17-year-old and prayed and asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life. I remember the camaraderie of the youth group and how it was those precious times of group interaction that formed my quest to follow Jesus.
I felt so much better when I was with my small group, worshipping with others and having special times with people who loved on me, like Dick and Helen Baker, Carol Reeb, Joan and Dale Essenburg, and Connie (she recently went to heaven) and Henry Tyska. These folks helped me and I helped them in return – God’s economy of friendship is that we help each other!
LESSON LEARNED: God has made it known from the beginning of mankind that we are not wired to do life alone. In the garden He created Eve to be a comrade and companion for Adam (and Adam for Eve!). He also wanted us to share with one another and to worship Him together. This is the great place to turn when we grieve and mourn! God pours out His love to you through others! Do not be a Lone Ranger!
“So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2: 46-47, NKJV)
Widower's Walk 