Forming the Habit
Hebrews 10:24,25
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
You may have read or heard someone say it takes 21 days to form or break a habit. Researchers says it really can be anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form a habit, depending on the habit. On average, it takes 66 days. Now, 66 days may seem like a long time. At the beginning of the year, maybe you said you were going to start getting in shape. You bought a gym membership. You were really good about going the first couple weeks. But, if you’re like most people, you might’ve given up by January 17th, well short of the 66 day mark of March 6th, even four days short of the legendary 21 day mark.
What habits have you formed during the pandemic? Maybe with all the extra time, you’ve picked up a new hobby. Maybe you’ve gotten used to seeing your spouse and children more. Or you’ve started regularly calling friends who before you might’ve talked to only a few times a year. You might’ve picked up some bad habits, too.
The author of Hebrews writes about a habit some Christians had picked up. They were in the habit of not meeting together with other Christians. For health and safety reasons, we didn’t meet together for a time. For 40 days, there was no opportunity to meet together at worship. Now, 45 more days have passed since we reopened on May 10th. Understandably, many are still practicing caution for health and safety reasons. I am glad many of you have joined us at worship. I am also glad for those who are watching online because you can’t come back yet, especially with the recent rise in cases. I am concerned for those of you who haven’t come back and maybe aren’t watching online anymore. 85 days have passed since our last worship service before the shutdown. Has the habit been broken? Maybe you can’t even hear the question because you don’t read these emails anymore.
But why meet together anyway? After all, you can receive the food your soul needs just by watching church online. The Holy Spirit does strengthen your faith as you read the Bible at home. So, why does the Holy Spirit encourage us not to give up meeting together?
He knows us better than we know ourselves.
He knows that even though we can receive strengthening of our souls outside of church, we even fall out of those habits.
He knows all the distractions that get in the way of our focus on Jesus.
He knows how discouraged we become walking through this world.
He knows, even if we don’t always recognize it, that our sinful natures crave an excuse to neglect God's Word.
Yes, my sinful nature cleverly tricks me into thinking the reason I’ve stopped going to church isn’t because I don’t want to be there. It’s because I’m busy with other important things. It’s because so-and-so did this-or-that. It wants me to think I will keep up on my personal devotions knowing full well I’m about as good with that habit as I am with my annual New Year’s resolutions. It wants me to become so comfortable with watching online that I forget about all the other ways God strengthens my faith when I gather with other believers. My sinful nature wants me to forget. Forget my brothers and sisters. Forget my Brother. Forget my God.
You’ll notice that’s the part the author of Hebrews focuses on. “Not giving up meeting together, … but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” What is the opposite of not meeting together? It’s meeting together to encourage one another. Together we receive God's Word which kills the sinful nature that opposes it. Together we receive forgiveness for neglecting God in favor of other important things. Together, we hear about our Savior’s wonderful love for us, who says to us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Together, we dine at the Lord’s table for the forgiveness of our sins.
And then, together, we encourage one another. We can encourage each other just with the simple words, “See you next week!” We bring our problems before Christ and his people, and Christ through his people reminds us of his forgiveness, love, and guidance. With this encouragement, we go home wanting to know more about our Savior, wanting to study his Word during the week, whether reading Scripture or watching services. You don’t have to walk through this world alone. God doesn’t want that for you. He’s united you with a whole family of brothers and sisters to walk together as we see the Day approaching.
But maybe this encouragement hasn’t reached any ears that need to hear it. Maybe you’ve been in church or been watching online faithfully. Now is the time to bring the encouragement to others. Look around and see who isn’t at church with you. Even if they’ve been watching online, they’ve been missing you. Encourage them, even if now isn’t yet the time for them to return.
If you’ve been watching online, reach out to your brothers and sisters. Encourage them to stand firm in Christ Jesus. Remind them that they, like you, are a forgiven member of God's family, even though separated for a while. Even if you can’t be in the habit of meeting together in person, I encourage you to make a habit of meeting together in other ways.
God hasn’t made you a solo Christian. He’s made you a part of a family. As we journey on the path toward home, we see the same sights, we bear each other’s burdens, we encourage another and all the more as we see the Day approaching––together.