“For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.” Romans 1:11-12 NLT
Even tho Paul could write letters, he recognised that this was no replacement for face to face contact. He knew that it was in the real time environment of getting together with others as church, that encouragement, spiritual strength and gifting could be most effectively imparted and received to go be the church. And that still holds today! Social media platforms, online sermons and smartphone messaging all have a place but they can never replace the face to face, human to human contact that we actually need as Christians, that is so mutually beneficial to our wellbeing and to our faith! Lord, help us not to be isolated and disconnected this week, may we take every opportunity to meet up with other people, and as we do, give us something good to impart, help us to be encouragers and in the process may we be encouraged too. Amen 🙏🏼