I was thinking about the Bible verse I had at one time on my cover photo. I was also remembering the one about “better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere”. I was wondering if I mean those or are they just nice verses that express only King David’s heart. Maybe because he is saying he has asked it of the Lord it is a true glimpse of his heart as he worshiped and he just did not want to leave the presence of God. Maybe he was contrasting the place of worship to a cave he had to hide out in or even the palace he eventually lived in or the field he had shepherded sheep in and developed his rock and music ministry. Maybe he learned no matter what, the presence of God is the best of all life had offer.

I had an opportunity to head out to gather with other Christians and be in His presence around His Word. I was not sure about going out, getting dressed to be out, driving, and carving time out and so on. I could study here at home. I could tune in a listen or watch teaching/preaching online or tv. True. Then as I searched my heart I became aware that I really wanted to study His Word WITH other believers. There are a number of things I enjoy and find relaxing or fulfilling which are not wrong in and of themselves so it was not a condemning thing pushing me to “get to church”. I just realized that nice as those things are, there was a place in me they do not touch like gathering around His Word would with others.

I started to remember the place in scripture that says:

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25) Another version puts it

“not forsaking the assembling together”.

So I chose to get on out there and mingle (assemble) with others and found one of the passages we were reading was from Exodus about keeping the Sabbath holy or set apart to God. I am not looking to discuss which day that is frankly, but we recognize there are days generally known to be set aside to gather and worship God our Creator.

We tend to hear these things as a negative in our culture I think. We do not think of the benefit or rewards of doing the things of rest, of worshiping God. We all practice normal daily disciplines that may not seem or feel pleasant at the time and yet we reap the rewards of doing them and don’t decide to leave off doing them because they take time or effort…changing a baby’s dirty diaper (baby clean, happy and smelling good again), going to work (get to make money to take care of self and family), paying bills (lights and heat stay on), washing dishes (kitchen in order and I can start all over at the next meal to feed our family), maintaining our cars (I get where I am going better and safer), shoveling snow…you have your own to add to the list. With blessings there come also responsibilities.

Secular Studies show that regular church attendance is linked with:

1. Increased marital stability, success and satisfaction

2. Prevention of disease

3. Reduced risk of suicide in teens

4. Reduced length of hospital stays

5. Reduced need for antibiotics

6. Lower blood pressure

7. Increased life expectancy

8. Higher average weekly income and higher average yearly income

9. Reduced risk of heart attack

10. Reduced crime rates

11. Improved physical health and less depression

12. Significantly reduced risk of alcohol abuse

13. Faster alleviation of poverty compared to government programs

These were taken from a number of studies. I do not have the list of resources in front of me but could try to obtain them again.

And those are just the secular studies.

God tells us in the Bible He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Even though reward seems to be a prize in our way of thinking, aren’t the above things a reward?

We gain when we get together with other Christians. We all have gifts or strengths to use that benefit each other that we do not benefit from just on our own for our own use. We assemble to build one another into something strong and beautiful.

So to be our best, to grow in all ways “Some Assembly is Required”