Exhort One Another Daily
I was reading one of George Fox's epistles (#22) last night and I came across this lovely sentence:
Dear Friends, watch over one another in love, and stir up that which is pure in one another, and exhort one another daily.
What is it that keeps us from doing this? Are we shy? Are we culturally conditioned to keep such matters to ourselves? I want a spiritual community where this kind of thing is welcomed!
posted by Mark Wutka @ 5:25 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
Dang, Mark. I wish I were in community with you more than once a year. You speak my mind and my heart.
GF probably had in mind Hebrews 3:12, 13: Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
In my case, it's because I am 540 miles away from my co-exhorters.
This hearkens to the Old Testament, the words after the greatest commandment was given. . . (I paraphrase because I cannot remember exactly) and you shall teach these things diligently to your children, and you shall bind them to the back of your hand, and wear them as a frontlet before your eyes, post them on your doorposts and gateposts, and speak of them on the way.
Mary, hope maybe we can talk for a while at SAYMA!
Bill, yes, that's probably one of the sources. The "stir up" part may echo 2 Peter 3:1, "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:".
Raye, I feel sad that you have such distance to your faith community, though I also find your faithfulness and diligence inspiring. The other bit of Deuteronomy 11:18-20 that I like is "Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand ...
I may be slow to respond to other comments, I'm heading off this morning to my next School of the Spirit residency in Durham and will be mostly without internet access. May the Lord bless and keep you all.
Hey, I'm leaving this comment from your laptop! I don't get to do that very often (and I really appreciate you letting me use it during this residency).
What a great quote. I am glad that we get to be in community with each other through this program and I hope that we will continue to exhort each other daily while we are here.
Hi Ashley,
It was great being able to talk to you more at this residency, and I felt much of that exhortation and stirring up that which is pure amongst us. That's one of the things that made it so difficult to leave. I hope things are going well in planning for the conference, and in your other travels in the ministry.
With love,
Mark
I feel nudged to add this:
May we be seeds that fly upon the wind, blown to where God sends us, and ready to lay our roots into soil that yearns for God's love.
Blessings,
Liz Opp, The Good Raised Up
Thanks, Liz, that's a great quote!
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