When we gather in His Name
Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:19-20
From the text, Jesus promised that He is present when the believers are gathered together. This implies that in order to strengthen the relationship with God, Christians should have relationship with other believers. When Christians come together to worship, their encounter with God is heightened because of their commitment to Him and with one another. God knows that without the fellowship with other believers, Christians are susceptible to experience weakening in their faith. In fact, before Jesus told His disciples the importance of coming together, He told them that included in strengthening the relationship with one another is having a sense of accountability with one another (see Matthew 18:16-17). This is why Christ’s followers were given the admonition to not forsake meeting together. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25). You are missing the opportunity to receive God’s blessing when you neglect meeting with other believers. You draw strength from one another. Your presence could provide encouragement to others. When you encounter difficult challenges in life, you want to have someone that walks alongside with you. The Apostle Paul declared that the life of Christ should be the source of life within His body, the church. “And the church is His body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself” (Ephesians 1:23). You have this undeserving relationship with God who loves you. He came in this world to be your Lord and Savior by giving His life on the cross so you could be forgiven of your sin and have a relationship with Him. It is the desire of this loving God that you grow closer to Him and He has chosen for you to grow by having fellowship and involvement within His body, the church. “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house” (Ephesians 2:19-20).
Blessings.
