Its what I call the “casserole conundrum”.
In Hebrews 10:24-25 it says, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near”.
One of the great tragedies and casualties of the Covid pandemic was in-person church attendance. People found such great teaching online that some have just stayed with it, replacing meeting in person with their local congregations for online worship and messages. Its true, there is a treasure trove of theological insight and instruction to be found in that space for sure. But what if you need a casserole? In our early years of marriage, my husband Dave was a youth pastor at a tight knit country church. If someone got sick or in trouble of any kind, the casserole ladies would show up at your door with all kinds of sustenance and prayers too. It was a community that leaned on one another and I fear, we have lost touch with that type of country church magic in leu of “checking a box”. Sunday church. Check. Now I can get to the lake. In light of a having a whole day dedicated to Love this week—my encouragement is this. One of the best ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works is by engaging or re-engaging with your local faith community. You just might need a casserole some day.
Ceci