Faithful

Our refrigerator has water and ice dispensers in the door, but don’t try to use them without asking. I’ll tell you that the water doesn’t work, and I’ll tell you whether Beloved Husband has put ice in the holder. Neither work automatically. Same with our friend’s refrigerator. The water dispenses, but not the ice.

My son-in-law was without the use of his vehicle for a few days. The water pump wasn’t working. He used his wife’s car to go to and from work; she used ours when she needed to run an errand. It helps to have a spare available.

Same with a spare tire – very handy to have on hand when a tire fails. Blowout, slow leak, worn treads. Somewhere along the line, replacement is necessary.

Another replacement for us recently was a hot water heater. Ours ceased providing hot water on a consistent basis – sometimes hot, sometimes not. The last straw was when we were faced with hot wiring and a small flashing fire.

All of the above failed. They ceased to faithfully function properly. None of them made that decision, it was simply a mechanical failure of a manufactured item. None of them decided it was too hard to do nor did they have something else to do.

So why, then, are people no more faithful than these goods? Why is it they can explain away not attending services at the church that accepted their membership request.

Each of them walked down the aisle, took a welcoming hand and requested membership in the church to which they belong. The phrase that comes to mind is they attend enough to show interest, but not enough to get involved.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 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. (Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV)

We need to know our fellow worshippers in order to provoke love and good works. That’s something that cannot be done at a distance.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20 KJV)

While we do have the Holy Spirit with us at all times, all places, there is a special promise for when we gather in His name. Neglect the gathering? For what reasons?

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. (Acts 5:42 KJV)

The disciples went daily to the temple, daily taught and preached Christ, but they also met on the first day of the week. Would we have stayed through Paul’s sermon?

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7 KJV)

If so, why can’t we spend an hour in church on Sunday morning? Return for another hour on Sunday night? Why aren’t we interested in Wednesday teaching and prayer services?

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. (Luke 16:10 KJV)