Each winter, it was evident that our old house lacked what would help keep us cozy.

For five years, my wife and I lived in a home nearing one hundred years old, a home built before air conditioning, a home constructed to remain cool in a sultry atmosphere but not warm in a frigid one. Fireplaces and stacks of quilts would suffice for that infrequency, and homebuilders left out what is now common in energy-efficient homes: insulation.

Winters were challenging. We watched our dangling curtains rustle when the wind blew. Doors and windows freed drafts to snake through the cracks. We saw our heat leap from the floor vents and sprint to the ceiling. And our electricity bill reflected what was missing.

Insulation serves a home and also a spiritual family well.

Titus 3:14 – Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive. (NLT)

Hebrews 10:25 – And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (NLT)

I've considered whether a Christian must associate with other believers and answered "No." But will they want to? Yes. Together we share our mutual love and adoration for the One who gave His life for us. Collectively, we hold each other up when tragedy, disease, and other unfortunate life events knock us to our knees. We cry for each other when some have no more tears to shed. We strengthen one another's faith when difficulties attempt to shatter it on the rocks of doubt. Struggles and difficulties can tear our emotions to shreds, but frequent association with those who share our faith keeps us insulated against Satan's attempt to keep us in a cold home of indifference and distrust toward God. Let us make it a habit to associate with those who encourage and heighten our faith.

Prayer: We thank You, Father, for insulating us against the cruel effects of others and this world. Thank You for our friends, family, and fellow believers who encourage us and help to guard us against the enemy who seeks to destroy us by divisive tactics. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
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