Just in time...

It came back just in time.  I admit, I haven't been reading my bible or praying as much as I want or need.  Even before baby was born I was letting the stress and list of the day take over time in prayer and the Word.  Most recently, I have been fighting the baby blues that came and surprised me with their fierceness.  (Most of my baby blues can probably be associated with the fact that my grandmother recently passed away, but none the less I am "blue").  So what came just in time?  My Moravian Daily Text Email.

I signed up for the Moravian Daily text email years ago.  Then all of a sudden it disappeared a while ago.  I signed up again, but it never came back to my email account.  The email is great.  Two short verses, usually an old testament and new testament reading and then a prayer.  I am so glad that it suddenly appeared a few days ago again in my email.  It is a God thing.

I seem to always have time to check my email while up in the middle of the night or relaxing in my recliner with the baby.  Todays verse even got me thinking.  I admit some days I don't really connect with anything, but at least I'm reading and thinking.

Todays verse was Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another...


The first thing that struck me was the word "provoke".  Isn't that usually thought of as a bad thing?  You provoke someone in a fight or an argument.  I love that it is used here to do something good.  How can I "provoke" someone to love and good deeds? The only answer I come up with is to show the love of Christ myself.  The other part that meant something to me was not to neglect meeting together.  As a pastors spouse I hear and see it all the time.  "I don't need to go to church, I can worship God anywhere."  So true, you can worship God anywhere, but we need the fellowship of other believers.  We must meet together.  I am not saying just on Sunday mornings, but for bible study, a good cup of coffee, a meal, you name it, but if it is done with the intention to meet and fellowship as believers than we need to do it.

So today I am thinking about how to provoke others.  What do my actions, thoughts and words look like if my intention is to provoke someone to love and do good deeds in the name of Jesus?