We have left the holidays behind us, the days of "Season's Greetings," and we now come to the days we could call "Season's Meetings." It is the time when you hear Christians say, "You could attend a meeting somewhere every night for weeks." This is especially true for those who live near or in a large city. However, most Christians are satisfied to attend their meeting and never encourage themselves or others by taking advantage of the opportunity to worship with sister congregations.

While living in Indianapolis and attending meetings held there, we knew who we would see from other churches - always the same faces. These brethren worked six days a week, had children that "had school tomorrow" and somehow still managed to survive. Some of these brethren did not get home in time to eat supper with their families. They ate when they got home at ten o'clock. Can you imagine someone loving the Lord so much that they would miss a meal to hear His word (Mt. 5:6)?

If you don't know where the building is located, a simple phone call will take care of that excuse.

Your children will survive if they miss an hour or two of sleep, believe me. Let one of the "precious memories" of their childhood be the many times that Mom and Dad took them to meetings. The blessings you will reap from attending these meetings will continue to come. You will gain knowledge from listening to men who are not preaching a diluted doctrine but the pure will of God. You will see men and women baptized into Christ. You "make friends of God's children." Your children will see other children their age being faithful to God, which will encourage them.

When the statement is made that "we just don't have meetings like we used to" reflection is sometimes cast on the preaching in that preachers just don't preach like they used to. Could the problem also be that we just don't attend them like we used to? Wouldn't it be wonderful to worship God with standing room only crowds? Of course it would but that will take the effort of all. Please don't say, "They didn't attend our meeting so we aren't going to theirs. " That is like the boy who said, "I'll show that old teacher. I just won't study for his test."

Brethren, may we begin to see how blessed we are. Those of you who attend meetings can take someone with you who doesn't usually go. Let them see what they are missing. Those of you who don't go, start. Let us have meetings like we "used to."

Guardian of Truth XXX: 8, p. 235
April 17, 1986