As Long as It's Today

I read: Hebrews 1-3

So, you know how I talked about a verse I couldn't find yesterday? Turns out it was there afterall. Hebrews 2:13 if you were wondering.

But today I want to look at Hebrews 3:13, but not in The Message. Shock. Horror. Awe. I know. Honestly though, I think that the NIV nails it a little bit better: "But encourage one another daily, as long as it's called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."

I honestly love this verse. When can we stop encouraging each other? When it stops being today. Which will be, well, I don't really know when that will be. Thus we never should stop encouraging each other. Here's what I'm thinking for specific application though: as youth leaders we revel in the thought of finding something we can encourage our kids in. However, that verse doesn't go, "Youth workers, encourage your kids daily." Interestingly enough, I think that for us it's trying to say this: "Youth workers, encourage your kids daily and also encourage them to encourage each other daily."

After the overnighter I think that a very real concern for me will be building group unity and I think one of the best ways to do that is to get everyone involved in everyone's lives so that instead of just mom, dad, and the youth director bugging them, it's mom, dad, the youth director, and everyone else. And praying for each other. That's so huge, knowing that you don't even need to bother praying for your problems because 10 other people already are. If only we could be that faithful in prayer for each other!

But honestly, that's my goal right now. I don't think there's anything wrong with praying for something for ourself, nor do I think that God won't listen to a prayer for ourself. But truly living in community and praying for others while they pray for you is a much more exciting thought to me. A few months ago I heard a guy on the radio ask the question: "When did Job's trials turn around?" The answer: when he began to pray for his friends. Job had it hard, harder than anyone I have ever heard. I don't blame him for praying for himself. But it wasn't until he forgot himself and began praying for his friends that God began to restore his life. Now that's a challenging thought.