encouragement

I can go through an entire week, I can work through the things that have to happen every day and sometimes feel run down. I get to church at 8:30 Sunday morning and start all of the work that has to be done, all the doors that must be opened, all the heat turned on, all the lights on, double check the power point, get the after hour fellowship food table set, get the food all laid out and at some point find a few minutes to read over my sermon notes. But, usually something goes wrong like yesterday remembering the water was still turned off because of a busted backflow valve at the same time as finding out that the heat wasn't working in our Sunday School space. So again, I am off to the races, scrambling to get everything accomplished, and get everything done that needs to get done. I at some point walk into the sanctuary as people are arriving and see all the empty seats. The usual empty seats don't phase me so much as the ones that shouldn't be empty. The ones that should be filled by regular attenders, some who are the ones I am looking to be leaders in our ministries. THose really get me down, so I have to take a deep breath and walk away, out to the back and spend just a few minutes in deep intense prayer, that GOd will take away the malice and all the thoughts that can possibly take me away from glorifying Him.
I walk in, shake a few hands, and get ready to worship. We get through the songs, I pray, I preach and I walk to the back for some fellowship and something happened. I feel good again, it will be late Sunday night before I am pounded with the realization of all those who missed church that should have been there. What was it?
Hebrews 10:25 says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
THere it is, we need to meet together to encourage one another. I talk to ladies who are battling cancer and enduring harsh treatments, I talk with people in so much pain from arthritis and the cold that they can't get out of bed, yet they are there. I talk to others who are struggling in all different parts of their lives, health, economics, work whatever it may be. But, yet there they are worshiping, singing and spending time with God's family. THey encourage me, they get me past the disappointment of man, the selfishness of humanity and lead me to a place of being lifted up. So, as it says, do not neglect going to church, you are an encouragement just by being there and you don't know who it is that you are lifting up.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!