Hebrews 3:13
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Reflection Written By Doug Kellogg, Director of Young Adults)
Throughout my life, I have experienced many changes in my social life, and in the way that I have interacted with people and had relationships. When I was young, I was very shy. At some point in middle school, I became more outgoing and expressive. In college I was a social butterfly. But it wasn’t until after I graduated that I learned to have fellowship with my fellow believers to invest in them and to be invested in as well. It was then that I learned how to exhort and to be exhorted, and a little while after, God opened my eyes to the absolute necessity of this kind of fellowship.
It is interesting and almost humorous that God worded this passage like this: “As long as it’s called today.” I believe that God is using this terminology to be absolutely clear that we are called to exhort one another every single day of our lives. In the very next verse He tells us why: “that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Our daily exhortation and fellowship with one another is one of the ways that we remain unhardened by sin’s deceitfulness. I mentioned my social journey earlier to illustrate that each of us is different and it can be harder for some of us to practice this command, but it is a needed blessing and protection for everyone. If baby steps is the best start for some of us then lets pick up the phone and call a fellow brother in Christ and exhort each other.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, please show me what is getting in the way of obeying You in this way? Please show me and lead me in the way everlasting. Give me even just one person that I can begin practicing this so that I can walk in the light and be protected from the hardening deceitfulness of sin. Bless my fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ and bring us together in a daily way. Thank you Jesus and lead all of us into deeper fellowship and love together!