Let us love one another <3

It’s Thursday and a special shoutout birthday greeting to our Zach. 

Graham told me on Monday they were planning to wake up extra early and make a special birthday breakfast for him to dine on in bed. 

Any other adults out there have had to wait patiently in their bed like a child in time out while the noises from the kitchen heralded the arrival of your “surprise” tray? 

Oh my…I got a couple of texts this morning that only G answered the bell and so she played sous chef to him and we got a pic that would melt your heart of father and son celebrating dad’s birth. 

Nothing better <3

My devotional reading this morning took me to a passage in 1 Thessalonians that talks about encouraging fellow believers. 

Paul, Silvanus and Timothy were writing to the church in Thessalonica and every word is offering love, comfort, encouragement and exhortation to the believers there. 

I heard an interesting comment from a twenty-something believer who I love dearly about finding a church. 

He mentioned how a lot of churches are all over him until they find out he is already a believer and then they kind of move on. 

It breaks my heart. 

While it is so very true that Jesus commissioned the disciples and every follower until He returns to carry the gospel to the nearest and farthest reaches of the earth…the inspired Word of God has much to say about tending the community of believers around us. 

“As you know, like a father with his own children, we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to live worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.” 

1 Thessalonians 2:11 NASB

I think of a father patiently waiting in bed, thinking of things perhaps he would like to do to get started on his day.

But instead he waits for a tray of food to be brought up the stairs…wondering if it will make it to the top intact…thinking about the food that will likely be cold on arrival and yet the excited face of his son making it a feast. 

I think of the way a good parent graciously accepts the daunting task of raising the children entrusted to him or her. 

Encouraging here…exhorting there…correcting and discipling and bringing up that person to be what God intended him or her to be. 

This is how we are to treat believers. 

We are to love them enough to say the hard things, to strengthen them when they are discouraged. 

To set aside our agenda to make their life a matter of our concern. 

It is inconvenient to invest in others when we are so busy trying to save the lost and take care of our to do list…inconvenient and yet rather important to the One we claim to follow.

In John 13:35 Jesus gives the disciples a new commandment.

He tells them to love one another and by this everyone will know that they belong to Him. 

He is speaking of an in-house kind of loving. 

Loving other disciples. 

Yes. 

Go out into the world. 

Yes. 

Share the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

But do not neglect the loving care and concern for those who are in the Body already. 

Remember, the Great Commission was to go and make “disciples”…people who will become a part of the family of God and thus need…encouragement, exhortation, compassion, care and acceptance…your time….your heart…your love.

Perhaps today you can just think of a few fellow believers you are thankful for and send them a text or make a call or send a card…

or deliver a tray of slightly burnt toast and underdone eggs…

whatever God leads you to do…

do it knowing you are fulfilling the New Command of your Lord <3