Many of us have been or are in a small group of other believers. In my experience I have always looked forward to that weekly meeting because it is a source of great encouragement. The encouragement comes from doing life with fellow pilgrims who are seeking to follow Jesus in the craziness of life with its many challenges. And at the center of relationships with fellow believers are discussions about what God is doing in our lives, and how we walk with Him even when life is hard and hope is scarce. When life is hard we need the encouragement of others. Sometimes we need encouragement and sometimes we give it.

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses reminds us of the importance of keeping God at the center of our lives and conversations. This is what he said in chapter 6:4-9. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

Conversations about God are to be central in our lives because those conversations fuel our faith and hope and our love for Him. Moses is pretty practical here. Talk about God’s counsel at home, on the road, when you wake and when you go to bed. Carry His word with you and put reminders in places where you will see them. In other words, do anything that will keep Him central in our thinking and our lives.

Think of the fellow believers who encourage you the most. My guess is that they remind you often of God’s faithfulness and goodness. They pray for you when you need it and provide counsel when you are down. I hope that each of us does the same with those around us. 

God conversations should be at the center of our lives. Reminding ourselves and others of the hope and faith we have in Jesus. We need that each day, just as we need His counsel through His word each day. Ironically, as a child, I had to memorize a verse of Scripture each week in order to get my allowance. I didn’t exactly like the practice but those verses have stuck with me all of my life and I remember them today. This week, keep Him central in your thinking and talk with fellow believers about what God is doing in your life. This practice will help us to love Him with all our heart, soul and strength.

Father, remind me often of your goodness, blessings, and counsel from your word. Help me to make conversations about you central in my life in order to be reminded often of who you are. And to remind others of the same. Amen.