This is a previously posted entry that I hope is a blessing to you.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.” (Matthew 18:20 NIV) I thought about that yesterday. Jesus said it, of course. I understand what He meant.
There’s something special about getting together with someone else who knows Jesus. When we talk about Him and what He’s doing He is there. He shows us hidden things – mysteries. He works out something extraordinary, and He brings understanding to difficult circumstances.
I’ve seen Him do it over and over again yet He continues to amaze me with His kindness. It’s the promises being fulfilled.
You can be sure that the promises are being honored whether you know it or not, whether you believe it or not. They are. That’s because He doesn’t lie and He is faithful. What He says Jesus will do, He does.
After a time together with someone else who knows Him, someone who is looking for Him in everything they go through, there is nothing in you but pure joy. Jumping up and down, grateful for everything joy. That can only come from being in the presence of the Lord.
That’s the thing that I want for every other person on this earth – the joy of knowing how absolutely wonderful Jesus is. That’s why I say you can trust Him, why you can believe Him when He says He loves you. He wants us to have that explosion of joy every day.
And He is honored in that joy. Jesus is glorified in it because it shows the truth about Him especially when others know we are hurting. They see that the joy is greater and more powerful than the hurt.
There’s no way to manufacture that kind of joy. It would be a counterfeit, a fake, and fakes, even if they can’t be spotted, can be felt. People know when something is real or not.
The Lord’s joy is real. Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” I looked up those words once. The word joy means to jump up and down, be hilarious in your joy.
The word strength means refuge, where you go to be protected. Isn’t that the most wonderful thing! Our protection against grief, sadness, loneliness, or anything hurtful is the joy of the Lord.
And there’s only one way to get it – spend time with Jesus in everything we do. Seek Him, know Him, love Him. Talk with Him and about Him.
Then the joy comes, like unexpected laughter, like a baby’s smile, like the sunshine in winter.
Two or three. That’s all it takes. And I just realized that even when we’re with Him alone, that’s two. Wow. He makes it so simple, doesn’t He?
Phyllis Keels
