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Enjoy Life, Enjoy God


Dale Patterson

TO SEE YOU

August 21, 2009


Incarnation--it's such a central word in our Christian faith. "In the flesh"--Our e-world: email, Twitter, Skype, Facebook, Internet-really it's great! But no substitute for seeing one another face to face.

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong--that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.

-Romans 1:11,12 TNIV

Sure an Internet teleconference or Skype video call beats a written note, or phone call. But Paul who knew nothing of our e-world, also knew there was no substitute for being face to face. "I long to see you." It wasn't because he was a sentimentalist, but "that we may be mutually encouraged," and "I may impart to you some spiritual gift." He had an agenda! Yes! Nothing wrong with his agenda too.

Paul was obsessive-compulsive regarding our mutual growth as disciples. There was no better way to insure that to happen than "I long to see you." In other word, face to face. Life for the Christ-follower is to be together routinely, but together with an agenda of growing as disciples. Enjoy Life, Enjoy God may be better than nothing, but it's no substitute for being together in the flesh.
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson