Ever wake up in the morning feeling like your gauge is on empty? I'll be the first to raise my hand. I do.
The more I read and study God's Words for us, the more convinced I am that one of the primary ways we refill our tanks is to gather with "the body of Christ" (those people who have chosen to follow Jesus as their forgiver and leader for life).
Yes, solitude time is vital.
Daily time in prayer and digesting the Bible is irreplaceable.
But...there is something that happens when we gather together...
When we worship in song together...
When we explore God's Words together...
When we, yes, serve, together...
It is one of the primary ways that my heart is refilled, rebuilt, reformed, renewed, reshaped, redirected and redeemed.
Listen to just one, of many, teachings on this from the Bible: In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his spirit. (Eph. 2:21-22)
The challenge is, the natural direction for most of us, when we are experiencing emptiness, is to stay away.
We isolate ourselves.
We think, "I need to feel something more in order to engage with other people who follow Jesus."
We think, "I can't serve if my tanks are empty. I'll flame out. I'm not good enough."
That is precisely the time when we should press into God's Truth and engage more deeply.
That is the time when worship is most needed for the survival of our souls.
I can't neglect getting together with followers of Jesus each week.
My soul won't survive without it.
