A winter storm has been passing through our area the past couple of days and in typical southern states style, transportation has been greatly impeded. We just don't know how to drive in this stuff. Why would we? It rarely happens to come our way, so unlike our northern counterparts, we have no need to learn,...no equipment to prepare the roads even if we did. We just stay home and do "home stuff". It's good, and if you're at my house, it usually means time in the living room where there is a fire burning in the fireplace. I like fires. There is something about the dancing flame that mesmerizes, calms, soothes. My wife says I build a great fire. I love that she thinks that but I think it's kind of like she thinks I'm a great griller. I know some will disagree here, but c'mon. I put the hamburger on the hot grill, and when it turns a certain brownish color I take it off. Don't really see how you can be "great" at that, but I'll take the compliment.
Same with a fire. I put the logs in the fireplace, light a flame and it burns. I agree though. I really am pretty good at that series of events, One thing I do notice when I try to "stoke" the fire, is that it burns best, brightest, hottest if I will keep all the logs touching one another. That's the secret. If one log gets moved around to where it is not touching the others, it becomes cold and then is very hard to get going again...unless you place it in contact with the other pieces of wood.
I think it is the same with community in the body of Christ. There is a reason we get together. It is to strengthen one another so that we burn bright for Jesus. "Iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens one another" says the Proverb (27:17). Some might say, "I don't need to go to church to worship. I worship well all by myself when I get out in God's creation." I agree that is a wonderful thing to do, but surely it cannot be the only thing for we are not meant to always be alone in the worship of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Worship of the Bridegroom is done by His bride, the church and that is a corporate thing. As Paul said, "...do not forsake the 'getting together' part of worship" (Heb 10:25 paraphrased). It may be that you do not need others, though I think this not a good thing either, since God said "it is not good for man to be alone" and did so in a perfect garden (Gen 2:18).
But the real point is that it is not all about what you or I prefer. It is about the body of Christ coming together to praise the name of Jesus...together...as one. There are others that may need your encouragement...your presence...your smile...your touch. It helps them burn bright and hot for Jesus. Just like that fire over there in the firplace. A log just fell and I've got to go place it in it's proper place...in contact with all the others that are burning bright.