Sometimes we all feel like we are overwhelmed with the task that lies before us and the work we need to get done. Lately, I have felt that way about everything dealing with the church here at South Cobb. There is so much to do and seemingly so little time in which to do it.

One of the areas that I feel especially stressed about is our visitation. This last week we were blessed with so many visitors, unfortunately, however, not all of them filled out a visitor card, so many opportunities have slipped through our hands once again. Let me take a moment to encourage all of our members to be on the lookout for our visitors. Ask them to sit with you. Get their name, address and contact information. Offer to take them to lunch. Be like Jesus, who “went about doing good.” We can talk about evangelism all we want—we can stress the need to reach our community with the gospel, but it has to begin with us availing ourselves of the opportunities God sets before us. God has given us numerous opportunities with our visitors—we need to especially pay attention to those who make the effort to grace us with their presence and visit with us.

Further, we need to take the time and make the time to visit our sick, shut-ins and discouraged. Sometimes I think I need to get out of the office more and visit more—and I do! Sometimes I think that it is all on me to do all of the visiting—but that IS NOT the case. ALL Christians have the responsibility to visit (James 1:27). All Christians have the responsibility to encourage and exhort others in their walk with the Lord. While we are saved individually from our sins, the scriptures are also very clear in emphasizing that we cannot make it to heaven on our own—we must encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13).

This last week, as we passed out Thanksgiving baskets, we were made aware of a family here at South Cobb who felt like no one cared for them. The only visit that had been made to them was one I made. No calls were made, and while they received a few cards, at the same time, the personal interaction with others was missing. How many members of the Lord’s church have left because of the same thing? How many of our older members, who cannot get out, would love to have someone to come by and visit with them for just a few minutes? The opportunities are there!

I know we are all busy. Satan has done an outstanding job in making us think we are so busy that we don’t have time for others. Let me encourage you to resist him in this matter! Let me encourage you to turn the television off and make one visit with another member of the church here at South Cobb.

What happens when we visit?

1. FRIENDSHIPS ARE MADE! No one bonds in any sense with someone whose company he or she never shares. “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24). We forget this sometimes, and we complain that others are unfriendly when we are the ones who need to take the first step. Are you lonely? VISIT! Are there others lonely? VISIT!

2. TIES ARE STRENGTHENED! We have common beliefs; we need to have common experiences as well. That comes by spending time together. When we are challenged together to do a work or get a job done, then we have ties that no one else understands or knows. A lady was telling me this last week of some Seabees that fought in WWII. They meet together every year, and they have ties that are so strong because they have been forged in adversity. Such is as it should be among God’s people!

3. ENCOURAGEMENT IS GIVEN! The lonely are the most vulnerable for disappointment and despair. How many live alone and seldom hear a voice or see a face except on television (and we all know that there is no interaction with television)? We have to develop caring hearts—getting outside ourselves and looking out for others! Is someone’s faith wavering? VISIT!

4. FINALLY, JESUS IS MAGNIFIED! Jesus visited this world to save us from our sins, and as you read through the gospels, he visited with the rich and poor, the wise and not so wise, the lonely and the popular. He went about doing good. One could not argue with his message because his life exemplified what he preached. The common people heard him gladly. Men still follow him because of what he did, as well as what he preached.
Brethren, let’s visit!