"I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him."
2 Corinthians 11:2 (NIV)
Maybe you have been quietly missing church lately. Not in a dramatic way, more like one Sunday turning into a few. Maybe you told yourself you would come back when things settled down. Or maybe you felt you needed to be more ready first.
Paul wrote 2 Corinthians 11:2 to a whole church, not one person. He said the church together was promised to Christ as one bride. Your place in that story was never meant to be separate. The bride being prepared for the Bridegroom has always been the whole church together.
Hebrews 10:24 and 25 speak directly into this. The writer warns against giving up on meeting together, as some had begun doing. We are told instead to encourage each other, especially as the day draws near. Getting ready for the Bridegroom was never a solo project.
There is something the whole church needs to hear today. None of us got ready for this season of faith by ourselves. Someone prayed for us, taught us, or simply kept showing up. We are still that for each other, whether we feel ready or not.
You do not have to wait until you feel ready to come back. Coming back is part of how He makes you ready. Who is one person from this church you could reach out to this week? Let that person be part of how God brings you back into the room.
Godseekers, this is your invitation to step back into the room. Bring whatever you have been carrying and set it down here. This church is still becoming what it will be, and so are you. The Bridegroom is preparing all of us together, and He is not finished yet.
Prayer
Lord of heaven and earth, we come to You together as Your church. Thank You for choosing us, washing us, and preparing us, even now. We have another week ahead of us, and we cannot walk it alone. Help us notice who is missing and go after them with love. Send us out as people who are getting ready together, not apart. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Personal Reflection
- Is there someone from this church you have been avoiding, even without meaning to?
- What would it look like for our church to notice when someone quietly steps back?
Step of Faith
Today, message or call the person from church you thought of in this devotional. Tell them you have been thinking about them, even if it feels awkward.
