Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Growing Mutual Responsibility

Hebrews 3v12-13 “See to it brothers that none of you … turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily …”

Watching ants and bees is fascinating as they operate as a community. Each one works busily for the whole, foraging for food for the community to share. Have you seen an ant struggling and others come and carry him into the nest? I wonder what happens once they are inside?

When God brings us into his family, we literally enter a new family. It is a family centred on Christ – who he is, what he has done, what he is doing and what he is going to do! But it is also a family where we all carry mutual responsibility for doing the work God has given us for the good of the family, and responsibility for caring for one another.

Most vital in our care for one another is our spiritual care. We encourage each other and spur one another on to trust God and to keep in step with God. Who are you encouraging this week? What natural and spiritual gifts has God given you that can be used to encourage others?

As we saw last Sunday, a core part of us meeting together is to encourage each other. What encouragement can you bring the next time we meet? – It can be as simple as a “Hi!”. But going further, what about asking others about how they have related with God this week? Or sharing something about your own journey with God?

May we each be encouraged in our meeting together as family this week.

With love and blessing,

Roland