There are many ways one could interpret these verses – it could be a reminder for those who have been saved by grace, to live their life accordingly so that others can see Christ through you. And to have deep meaning within oneself and be truly committed to God. One must be truly committed to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our relationship with God is unique for every individual and very personal. We all talk in church about a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior. We all think about it more especially during Lent, leading to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, however this needs to happen all year. As an example, some of the songs we sing during Lent and Easter could be thought of as only being done during this special time of the year, however, I can think of many times we have played and sung of the death and resurrection of Jesus at many other times. I think doing this relates to a basic foundation for the ongoing structure of our religious beliefs.

The ending of this verse ends as though back thousands of years ago when this was written, they knew Covid would happen, and we (and many others) would have a live stream so the Good News could be spread. Thank goodness we have the technology for this! We all know this was and is a good thing, however verse 25 says not to give up meeting together. I think we could add: if possible – “as you are able,” like we say when we celebrate God and stand to sing hymns to God.

As Easter approaches, we usually see the pews a little more crowded, and as The Day arrives, usually a glorious crowd to celebrate the Resurrection. This is GREAT! However, as we think about the next week, and the next, and six months later, let us strive to discover more of our inner self dedicated to God, and continue our devotion to Him in the best way we know how.

Keith Longmire