Flying Together

Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

“I wonder why geese always fly in a V formation,” Asa said as he and his dad raked their lawn. Overhead, a flock of geese honked their way southward in the cloudless fall sky.

“Do you see how closely they fly together?” asked Dad. “As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird following it. That means the bird behind it uses less energy as it flies. By flying in a V formation, the flock can fly about seventy percent farther than if each one flew alone. The leader—the first one—has to work the hardest, so they take turns being in front.”

“Hey, that’s cool!” said Asa. “Smart birds!”

They finished raking, and Asa grabbed some large plastic bags from the garage. “Is it okay if I skip church tomorrow?” he asked as they stuffed the leaves in the bags. “Zach got a new game for his birthday, and he invited me over to play it in the morning.”

“You can play Zach’s game another time,” said Dad. “That’s not a good reason to skip church.”

“But I’ll do my devotions before I go,” said Asa. “Why can’t I just spend time with Jesus on my own instead of going to church?”

“Asa, praying and reading the Bible on your own is very important, and I’m glad you do that, but it’s not the same as going to church,” said Dad.

“Why not?” asked Asa. “That’s basically what we do at church, just with more people.”

“Exactly,” said Dad. “Remember those geese we saw in the V formation? They would never be able to make the long journey south on their own—they need each other. And we need other Christians on our journey with Jesus. They support and encourage us and give us a better picture of all He’s done for those He loves. Jesus wants us to spend time with Him on our own, but He also wants us to spend time with Him as a body of belivers because He loves all of us and knows how much we need each other.”

Asa looked up at the sound of honking. More geese were on their way south. “Okay, Dad,” he said. “I’ll play Zach’s game another time.” – Rosemary C. Wilson

How About You?

Do you ever wonder why you need to go to church? Would you rather spend extra time with Jesus on your own sometimes? That’s not how Jesus designed the Christian life to be. He wants you to learn about Him and worship Him with other Christians so you can support and encourage one another. So don’t neglect going to church—we’re all on this journey together!

Today’s Key Verse: Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

We need other Christians