Michael and I are in the process of transitioning into a new church family. They have made the transition a little easier by inviting us in. Saturday evening we had dinner with several couples and several 'singles.' The food was really good (homemade chicken pot pie) and the fellowship was sweet. Who can resist dessert when it's called 'Death by Chocolate?' It was rich enough to make your teeth itch.
The facilitators of the group did a great job of directing the conversation and asking pertinent kinds of questions. In other words, we didn't talk about the weather. Several were asked to share their stories about specific times in their lives. It was awesome.
As I sat and listened I was reminded of the great God we serve. They spoke of how God had walked with them through extremely difficult times. They spoke of how God was working around them and through others when they were totally unaware of His presence. They spoke of dear friends who walked through the hard times with them. They spoke of new relationships and how those had been brought about, and they rejoiced in friendships which had weathered the test of time. They spoke of the joy that abounded even during the darkest of days. There were tears and laughter. There was grief, but assurance that one day all will be well. And perhaps most remarkable of all was the gratitude each one felt toward their Father and others.
On a lighter note, one worked for a large drilling company that has a branch in Midland. He told us they always had a difficult time finding people who would transfer to Midland, but once there, they couldn't get them to leave. Hilarious. That speaks well of West Texas -- even though they wondered how in world we had lived there for 30+ years.
There's a reason the author of Hebrews admonishes us not to neglect the assembling of ourselves together. The writer obviously knew that hearing how God is working in the lives of others will encourage and strengthen our relationships with one another and with Him. It's good to hear that He's brought about miraculous things when we feel all alone and He feels far away. It is good to be reminded of how God has worked in our lives and continues to do so. It is good to know we aren't the only ones who struggle. It is good to be reminded that God is faithful, and we can trust Him with all things.
So, next time you get together with friends -- old or new -- ask them what God's been up to in their world. You might be surprised. You will definitely be encouraged.
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