Lunch with dear friends not only fuels the body, it feeds the soul. Rell and I must be slow on the draw. We've been trying to get together for months, but with grandkids' sports, sporadic bouts with health issues, and other scheduling difficulties, we were unable to make the connection. Why neither of us thought to schedule a lunch instead of a dinner engagement is a mystery. Neither of us is exactly stupid, but we are apparently, clueless. That's OK; we have fun together while our wives look on with mutually knowing looks. Fortunately, they enjoy each other's company, too; probably because they can commiserate.
There was plenty of laughter around the table as we shared stories of our lives, and not a little amazement at how God has intervened at times we had our backs to the wall. Hebrews 10:25 tells us to not neglect gathering together, but to encourage one another other. It's a sad fact that too often Christians try to go through life isolated from those God intends to use to bless them. I've listened to people explaining how they can worship God just as well in the woods or on the golf course as they can in church. They miss the point. Christianity is a team activity. You just can't do it alone, anymore than you can play baseball alone. Both are team activities. Just as tossing a ball into the air and catching it isn't baseball, so just reading one's Bible and praying while neglecting corporate worship isn't real Christianity.
Unfortunately, often when Christians get together, instead of encouraging one another, they argue and accuse, tearing one another down instead of building each other up. We shared stories today of how that had happened to us in the past, and rejoiced that God is greater than all the machinations of the Enemy of our souls. Today, we encouraged each other, and in doing so, not only obeyed, but also fulfilled the Scriptures. Not too shabby when lunch becomes an instrument of God's grace in our lives. That's what we experienced today, and I am thankful.
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