Are You Anemic?

    We often talk about blood in the context of Christ shedding his on the cross - but I'm not sure we can appreciate that without understanding the importance of blood to our bodies. When our red blood cells are healthy, they provide oxygen to our body tissues. Hemoglobin is the oxygen carrying protein inside the red blood cells which makes them red. People with anemia do not have enough hemoglobin.
     At Center Road we intend to love people one step closer to Christ through connecting with God, through connecting with Christians and by serving. Call it  Believe It, Live It, and Give It, or linking with Jesus, linking with Christians, and linking others to Jesus - the point is that our job is to connect with God, connect with Christians and to connect others to Jesus. I believe this is job God gave us, with all my heart.
     I am concerned that as a body that we are missing some of what makes our "cell's red" if you will. We seem to value connecting with God - we come to church in a worship setting... We seem to value reaching out through missions and service... But I'm concerned that we are anemic when it comes to our hemoglobin, our fellowship with each other. If there is anything the book of Acts shows, it is that the early Christians were together a bunch - daily is used frequently. Fellowship - which is the same word as communion - we get the communion with Christ - but what about the communion with each other?  I John 1:1-7 makes clear that a fellowship or communion without Christ is pointless - but the converse is true as well - being like Christ takes "fellowship". I think our connection to each other is our hemoglobin.
     Anemia of the blood isn't usually a sudden thing... it's gradual decrease unnoticed until fatigue, concentration problems, headaches, light-headedness, and even chest pain are felt. It can be caused by a disease or treatment - poor diet - or other easily overlooked problems. So it is with our fellowship or communion with one another. It happens slowly. The urgent takes precedent over the important. I don't turn green when I'm more concerned about work, school, sports, performances, or other activities I enjoy more than the welfare of the Christians of this church family (that would be kind of funny...)  No nuclear glow when sleeping in is more important then mining the truths of Scripture in Bible classes. We need to be understanding and tolerant of one another - however, taking a nap won't cure anemia - but it feels right. As a matter of fact, if anemia isn't corrected, oxygen starved organs like the HEART stop working. Christians starved of fellowship and communion with each other have no meter to warn - but some vital stuff stops working like it should - and Satan loves it! 1 Peter 5:10
     Next Sunday we will be coming along side our kids and devoting ourselves to pray for them. Why not take this opportunity make the corrections you need to make... bring your family to Bible Classes and worship, join a life group, look for opportunities to connect - and beat the Anemia bug!