This is, and always has been one of my favorite verses: Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. It is one of those “simple” verses that to me, contains great truth, and comfort.
We all know that He is with us even when we are alone. But, this verse pertains to any and all meetings that we call together in His name. We have His direct assurance that He is with us as a group of people. One of the most important things to note is that this verse has no limit as far as place or time.
It doesn’t matter if we are gathered in a church building, at a park, in a prison, on a boat, on top of mountain; doesn’t change the fact. Doesn’t matter if it is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. He is with us when we gather in His name. We have His promise, and we believers know that God keeps His promises no matter what.
Why else do I find this a great comfort? Because when you read about even the angels in the Old Testament; they ran into trouble coming to the aid of the Old Testament faithful, take for example; Daniel 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
When the Lord became human, living for us, dying for us, raising for us…He took back certain…domains that Adam has lost. The prince of the power of the air has no dominion over Christ. The adversary cannot harass Jesus, nor keep Him from us, as he could perhaps harass the holy angels. Jesus is with us always, as I said, and we are assured of that when we come together as believers as well.
I got really sad once reading a Roman catholic mother explain (on a Roman board that doesn’t allow non-RC’s to post) how she teaches her child about the mass…”Do you hear that bell? When that bell rings Jesus is really and truly comes to be with us here.” Okay…what have you just taught your child? That Jesus is sometimes not with us, and that He did not really mean it when He said the when two or three are gathered in His name that He is already there. Really and Truly. Doesn’t need a set of misused words such as what are said at the mass, doesn’t need a bell, doesn’t need to be in a cathedral, doesn’t need to be with a crowd.
So, never forget, He is with us, and if you want even more assurance find another believer gather together in His name, and know. We are most assuredly not alone.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
2 Comments
August 21, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Jesus, “…Really and Truly. Doesn’t need a set of misused words such as what are said at the mass, doesn’t need a bell, doesn’t need to be in a cathedral, doesn’t need to be with a crowd.”
Yes, this is the truth (through scripture, as well as His discernment through you), Jesus, nor the Father, need the religiosity of man in order to keep a promise.
“God is not a man, that He should lie,Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19) This verse kept my head above water for almost three years, a long time ago!
He said wherever two or three of us are gathered He will be with us, and He will be!
April 6, 2009 at 10:29 am
I believe that prayer is the power that puts God in action, so please let us gather in prayer and Jesus will be in the midst and ask for the fullness of the Holy Spirit in my life and to see him working in Egypt so that Egypt would be for Christ