In his book, Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life, Chuck Swindoll shares the following true story.
In the fall of the year, Linda, a young woman, was traveling alone up the rutted and rugged highway from Alberta, Canada, to the Yukon. Linda didn’t know that you don’t travel to Whitehorse alone in a rundown Honda Civic, so she set off where only four-wheel drives normally venture.
The first evening she found a room in the mountains near a summit and asked for a 5 A.M. wake-up call so she could get an early start. She couldn’t understand why the clerk looked surprised at that request but, as she awoke to early-morning fog shrouding the mountain tops, she understood.
Not wanting to look foolish, she got up and went to breakfast. Two truckers invited Linda to join them, and since the place was so small, she felt obliged. “Where are you headed?” one of the truckers asked.
“Whitehorse,” she answered.
“In that little Civic?” one of them said. “No way! This pass is DANGEROUS in weather like this.”
“Well, I’m determined to try,” was Linda’s gutsy, if not very informed, response.
“Then I guess we’re just going to have to hug you,” the trucker suggested.
Linda drew back. “There’s no way I’m going to let you touch me!” she said.
“Not like THAT!” the truckers chuckled. “We’ll put one truck in front of you and one in the rear. In that way, we’ll get you through the mountains.”
All that foggy morning Linda followed the two red dots (tail lights) in front, and had the reassurance of a big escort behind her as they made their way safely through the mountains.
Chuck Swindoll observes, “Caught in the fog in our dangerous passage through life, we need to be ‘hugged’. With fellow Christians who know the way and can lead safely ahead of us, and with others behind, gently encouraging us along, we, too, can pass safely.”
This is the beauty of Community! Relationships were broken by sin – not only our relationship with the Father but also with one another. Because of Christ’s death and completed work on the cross, we can experience, forgiveness, reconciliation & restoration. We can now enter fully into glorious Fellowship with the Father & with one another.
We need one another! None of us can survive as “Lone Rangers”. Together we are strong; individually we are weak and vulnerable to the enemy’s attack. Salvation is an individual experience; we stand before Christ alone. But Christian growth is a group experience. We grow in the Lord together. We need relationships. We need fellowship!
Not sure about this truth? Why does the New Testament include so many instructions that include the words “one another”? The Greek word translated “one another” (ἀλλήλων) is found 100 times in 94 verses; one third of them instruct Christians to “love one another”. Please do not forget Hebrews 10:25, “Do not forsake the gathering….”
This Sunday, November 7, we will continue our series, “Freely Give!” with the amazing gift of Community. Please join us at 10:35am in the building or online for the Live broadcast on either Facebook (Honolulu AG) or our YouTube channel (Honolulu Assembly of God). A link will be posted later to our website (https://www.honoluluag.org/).
Don’t Miss It! Pastor Ron Peer will lead a Drive-Thru Prayer outreach ministry in the church parking lot this Saturday beginning at 1pm. The Ladies’ Lunch will take place the following Saturday, November 13, at 11am. Ladies and girls, please do not miss this fun time! The Thanksgiving Celebration and Lunch will take place on Sunday, November 21. Turkeys will be provided by the church. Bring your favorite side dishes to add to the table.
Aloha and Aloha ke Akua!