ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER!

 

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

 

ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER!

 

Deut 1:37-38

37 Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.

38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

 

1 Thess 4:18

18 Wherefore comfort [encourage] one another with these words.

 

           I am a plodder. I usually tackle a task with steady pressure and persistence, but I have been known to surge when encouraged. Most of us thrive on encouragement. Moses is about to transfer leadership to Joshua and requests that the people encourage him.

 

           The word “encourage” only appears four times in the Old Testament and not at all in the New Testament. In the Old the word is chasaq which has a variety of meanings such as “to strengthen; to help; to cure; to repair; and to fortify.” Even one such as Joshua needs to be strengthened when he feels weak. He needs to be cured when ill and to be repaired when broken. Generally, he needs constant fortification. This is encouragement!

 

           In the New Testament we find the word “comfort” which has the same force as the word encourage. It is the Greek word parakaleo which means “to call near with consolation.” When Jesus promised to send another comforter (John 14:16), he used the Greek word parakletos. The Holy Spirit is our encourager. He is present when we are alone and lonely. He strengthens us when we are weak. He repairs us when we are broken. He fortifies us when we are weak.

 

           We are supposed to encourage one another. The foundation is our relationship as members of a spiritual “family” but it goes beyond that. It is more than friendship. It is a ministry, and it is obedience to a command. “Wherefore COMFORT and ENCOURAGE one another.”

 

Lord, thank you for the encouragement of the Holy Spirit and the many who encourage me. Help me to be an intentional and an obedient encourager to others. AMEN