In Person
It is a true joy to be together with fellow believers.
Read Time: 2 minutes
I’m really looking forward to being at my upcoming week-long Bible retreat. There will be classes, and I look forward to hearing scriptural insights from the presenters. Importantly, there will also be time to interact with fellow believers, sharing ideas, sharing meals, sharing time. Sharing our faith, our hope and our love.
This kind of interaction is really helpful. In fact it’s presented to us as essential. The writer to Hebrews directs us:
Sure, we can “exhort one another” from a distance. I guess that’s what I’m trying to do here. But that can only do so much. We must not neglect meeting together, in person, to the extent we can. (I realize that some have significant barriers to getting together with fellow believers. Those of us who are able should make every effort to help them overcome the barriers.)
Even someone like Paul, who traveled all over and had close relationships with a lot of people, wanted even more—and he wanted it to be in person:
The same was true of John:
Complete joy, he says. Suggesting that joy isn’t complete unless there is face to face interaction. From experience at past retreats, I know it is a true joy to be together with fellow believers. To renew friendships, and make new ones. To exhort one another. To stir one another up. To be mutually encouraged. To build one another up in our faith, our hope and our love.
It would be great to see you in person—if not next week, then “somehow by God’s will”.
Love, Paul