Someone you love is under attack. What can you do today to help protect them? Well, we’ll go back to our days of watching nature shows on public television and remember a valuable lesson.

Hebrews 10: 24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.

I know, I know, I know, it’s the ultimate scripture used on all of us as a guilt trip to go to Church. I believe in Church. I take my family to Church every week. But what if it’s about more than just Sunday? What if it’s about today too? And what if it’s about more than the padded seat you fill in that building you call church. What if it’s about the seat in your office and the seat around your dinner table.

We live in a day and time where we simply don’t have face time with people. And I don’t mean facetime on your phone. I mean DIRECT HUMAN CONTACT. We don’t “come together” much anymore do we? We work from home, we order our groceries online, and we have minimal contact with the real world.

And what does that cost us?

Why does God want us to BE together? Because alone we are vulnerable. Ecclesiastes 4:12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

We’ve all seen the nature shows when the herd is running together from an attacker. Then one member of the herd shoots off in another direction. Then what happens? ALONE THEY STAND NO CHANCE. They are attacked.

Every day we are under attack. And we need each other. We can’t sit in our comfortable little world hiding behind our screens any longer. We MUST meet together. Do you know someone struggling right now? Is it possible for you to go BE WITH THEM? Then do that! Go. Be there. Encourage them. Show them love and good deeds.

But even more importantly, let us apply this scripture in our homes. Is there a member of your family who is growing distant? Are they spending more time in their room than with the family? Are they closed off?

You love them don’t you? They are part of your herd. Maybe it’s your spouse or maybe it’s your child. Listen to me, they are in danger. Remember the herd. When one veers off alone, they are most vulnerable. Get your herd together.

Or it maybe it’s you. Maybe it’s you that has grown distant. You’re struggling, and because you’re struggling you’ve gone silent. You’ve withdrawn. AND YOU ARE IN DANGER. I know you think it’s best to just be alone so you don’t make everyone miserable in your struggle, but listen to me … alone you are vulnerable. You have a herd that loves you. Come back to them!

Tonight is the night for a family dinner and EVERYONE sits at the table. If you are married, then tonight is the night to go to bed TOGETHER if at all possible. Together. Be together. Encourage one another.

Remember what our scripture says “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing”. Maybe you’ve just gotten into a habit of meals being scattered instead of planned. A habit of everyone going to their own room with their own TV. And we’ve got to stop that. What’s more important … the show YOU want to watch or your family? I’m not saying you have to turn off the TV. If the TV is the only thing that will bring your family together, then so be it … keep the herd together and sit there and act like you enjoy their movie.

MEET TOGETHER. Together. Together. Together.

What if your evenings are so busy there’s no possible way for everyone to come together? One, make sure that’s just for a season and not a permanent thing. Eliminate as necessary. Children benefit more from the dinner table than they do their 3rd sport. But also remember there are more times than just the evening. What about morning?

Every single school morning, breakfast is served at our table. We don’t eat in the car or while rushing out the door. It’s a protected, sacred time. A meal is cooked and we come together. And just like all things, that time has come to an end. This week we had our last family breakfast on a school morning. It was their final day of school living in our home. I’m grateful we always came together. Tonight those girls who have always had mama and daddy sitting around the breakfast table with them will put on their cap and gowns, walk across that stage and graduate. And they are protected, because they are in this herd. We are together.

When your kids walk in the door after school is a valuable time. Meet them.
When your husband walks in the door after work is a valuable time. Meet him.
I’m literally talking about meeting them at the door. Stop what you’re doing and show them how important they are.
This weekend, come together.
Summer break is just ahead, how will you bring the herd together?

Break any bad habits of distraction or busyness and come together! Your family wears a bullseye and is always under attack. Don’t let any of them separate and hide, it is dangerous. And don’t you pull away either. You need your herd and your herd needs you. Bring ’em together! Tonight. This weekend. Make it happen.