my Mary moments....

I was reading in Hebrews yesterday when I came across a passage that really spoke to me.
It is found in Hebrews 3:12-13:

"Beware, brethern, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

In my commentary it talked about how UNBELIEF is a grave sin because it leads us away from God.
How many times do we see brothers and sister in Christ struggling with unbelief and we go about our own business and refuse to treat them in the biblical manner that God has shown us.
"..but exhort one another daily, while it is call Today.....
My friends I believe we are missing the boat when we miss an opportunity to speak Truth in Love to those around us who are struggling with unbelief because the bible says it is a grave sin and we need to treat it as such.
I was also reading my notes from the sermon and I always write down the scripture references and then study them later.
So in my notes I had written 2 Cor. 11 and I went on to read the whole passage.
I came to verses 22-28 and they stopped me in my tracks, so to speak.
Paul was speaking, of course, and relaying how much suffering he had endured for Christ; He spoke about how the Jews had scourged him 5 times, he was caned, stoned, thrice shipwrecked and left in the water for an entire day, he was robbed, threatened, he was often weary and hungry, he often went without sleep, he was cold, and imprisoned.
But it was verse 28 that slayed me: "beside the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches."
I looked up concern in the dictionary: "a. marked interest or regard usu. arising through a personal tie or relationship. b. an uneasy state of blended interest, uncertainty, and apprehension."
I had to ask myself; do I feel genuine concern for our church and if so, is it more because I feel personally connected to the people there and therefore have a concern for their well-being?
Or, is it concern that is based in uncertainty and apprehension because I can identify specific problems in our church and I feel a definate frustration that we are NOT relevant in our communities and therefore we are possibly not an effective church.
I am still processing it all and I am really seeking God's face in this.
On the one hand I see the example that Paul displayed and I am ruined, I mean, look what he endured and yet, look where his heart was. On the other hand, I DO feel great CONCERN for our church and my greatest desire is to see how God continually renews us and shows us His vision for our church.
I want to be a servant for the Lord who endures "suffering" with a smile and I want to sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His leading. I pray that God will give me a heart of genuine concern for His church especially when we encounter "grave sin" in our midst.
Aren't you glad that we have a heavenly Father who never gives up on us???
I sure am....