Gathering

 December 27, 2021

“Mas de 100 personas ayer.”—“More than 100 persons yesterday.” Those words accompanied four photos of some of my Cuban friends gathered for worship yesterday. In accordance with governmental decree, they were masked and socially-distanced as much as possible, packed as they were in their rather tight accommodations. But they were there, joyfully singing as they worshipped the Lord. 

Back home, we had barely that many in two services, worn out, I guess, from Christmas Eve services and Christmas Day celebrations. It makes me wonder as I have often wondered, how much we take for granted. They’ve been shut down for over a year, the noose only recently and gradually loosened, and didn’t have the capability to livestream anything. Their pastors did the best they could, which often wasn’t much, as the government at one point had soldiers stationed at all the roads leaving the city, effectively locking in its entire population of more than 70,000.

They were overjoyed to be together again, and their attendance showed it. They hungered and thirsted after the fellowship, the worship, and the teaching of the Word of God. I wonder what it will take for us to be as intentional and intense about gathering. I hope it won’t take oppression and the forfeiture of our freedoms, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it did. Like the husband who takes his wife for granted until the day he stands by her grave, we don’t appreciate what we have till we don’t have it anymore.

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”  —Hebrews 10:24-25 

“Stirring up love and good works;” that’s why we gather. The more challenging life becomes, the more we need the encouragement of one another. I’m an introvert by nature, but I can’t do life successfully on my own, so I make it a point to be with other Christians who can encourage, support, challenge, and correct me, and I for them. It is in these gatherings that we look into each other’s eyes and realize we are beholding the face of Christ, and they are holy moments.