My spouse and son were recently involved in a severe auto crash. By God's grace they were spared, but did suffer broken bones. My wife has been hospitalized for the better part of twelve days as of this writing. This casted me in a temporary role of single parent and has granted me a rich appreciation for my wife's daily tasks of getting the children ready, taking care of the home, nursing sick kids, and pressing homework, etc. Frankly, I have led close to a thousand soldiers in the military, have commanded billions of dollars in budgets, but being a single parent has been the most difficult task to date, and I have a deeper understanding and compassion for widows and the fatherless. God's Word is repleat with verses of His strong Love for these oft-forgotten children.
I have drawn deep encouragement from God's people during these days. Our precious church has rallied around us with prayers, meals, compassion and help with shuttling kids and offers for cleaning and other chores. Frankly I am overwhelmed with God's Grace and His people's generosity and love during these trials.
Do you belong to a local Body of Christ? Paul exhorts in Hebrews 10:25: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching". Here we are pressed to come together in the local body of Christ, that is the church. It is not only fitting and proper, but a command. We cannot be spectators in the body of Christ; we must be participators. God endows us with spiritual gifts for the ministry. 1 Corinthians 14:12 says, "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church". You see this? We are called to ministers to those in our local church, to edify and build each other up. When we abandone church attendance for the sake of television or radio ministers we neglect the use of our spiritual gifts and are in disobedience of God's Word.
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