I had a dream a few nights ago. My husband and I had moved to the coast, and we were standing on the shore. I looked up and there was a thirty-foot wave coming towards the beach. Someone yelled, “Everyone get to higher ground!” People started running. My hubby and I walked as fast as we could up the hill, and when we got there, the people had gone into a church. It was getting dark, and the lights were on.

Certainly all of my dreams don’t have a deeper meaning, but I think this one did. I have thought about it a lot. I believe difficult times are coming. They may be economic, viral, or environmental; I don’t know, but I think the best thing we can do to prepare for them is to get closer to the Lord and his people. So many people quit attending services during the pandemic because they just got out of the habit of going. They feel like they are doing fine and are watching the services from home, but it isn’t the same as participating in the body life of the church.

My hubby and I know about this firsthand. After his strokes, we didn’t attend church for at least a year. Like others, we watched the services from home but felt very disconnected from the body of Christ. Now that we have started going again, we feel much closer to the Lord and to his people.

Scripture tells us in Hebrews 10:25 to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together and even more as we see the day approaching. What day would that be? He is talking about the return of the Lord. Even those who are not believers can see that the earth is on a collision course with disaster. Nations are at war with each other, and the Middle East is at a boiling point that could spill over, affecting many nations. The economies of several countries are barely holding onto their monetary systems, and others have already imploded. It just takes one EMP to detonate in the atmosphere to paralyze any country in the world. The viral labs are again working on gain of function, and who knows what virus will escape, causing yet another pandemic. I am not a pessimist, but the future does not look bright and rosy to me.

If any of these disasters do pan out in the future, we will need a large support group. What better place to find one than in the church where people will love you, pray for you and help you when you need it. Now is the time to get connected so that when difficulties come, you are fully supported by the body of Christ.

Image by PortSundries. Courtesy of Pixabay