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I AM in the Midst of Them
Andrea Lende • August 5, 2020
Matthew 18:20
I AM in the Midst of Them
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/I-AM-in-the-Midst-of-Them-ehni4a
Daily Word:
Matthew 18:20
“For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them.”
This verse spoke to me this morning.
As churches are unable to meet in the ‘usual’ way, we need to be reminded that the Lord is among us.
He is with us.
Even where just two people are seeking Him, He is present, and He is working to bring us closer to Him.
He is working to show us more of Him.
He is working to increase our faith.
Why?
Because He loves us.
He loves us more than we can imagine.
Even though we cannot see Him and reach out and touch Him, He is a part of us.
His love fills our spirit.
We can navigate the troubles of this day knowing and feeling that God is holding us up and leading us on this unknown path.
He is lighting the way for us – little by little and inch by inch.
At this time more than any other we know not what is ahead of us.
But we can be sure that God is among us.
His Word said that He is.
In fact, the verse just before our verse highlighted today says, “Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven.”
Jesus said these words so we can most assuredly believe them.
As we seek the Lord and ask of Him, He will glorify His own name by making our requests come to pass.
There are things I have asked for that I could not have done on my own.
But to the glory of God, they have been done.
His glory is what I seek.
So, although worship may look a little different right now the Lord is amidst our worship.
He is amidst our gathering however small.
God is there.
God is here.
Today I choose to believe that the Lord is among His people however small the gathering is, and He will glorify His name as He has done all throughout the ages.
May you find that as you meet with God alone or with a single person, God is with you and will grant your requests as He leads you.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for Your Word once again that encourages and uplifts my spirit. Thank You for Your promises. Thank You for being so alive among Your people. No matter if it is just two that gather You are in the midst of them. Thank You for showing me Your grace, Lord. Thank You for the special things You do for me that only I can see. Thank You for constantly speaking to and filling my Spirit with You. Keep me seeking You, Lord. Keep me at Your feet. Keep me Yours through these trials and unto eternity. May I be forever Yours. Strengthen me so that I do not turn away from You during the difficulties of today and future days. Help me hold fast to You and Your Word. Ready me for Your service. Help me serve You in a way that will glorify Your Name. You are greatly to be praised, Father! I praise Your Name! Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM with you, My child, and will strengthen you so that you can serve My people.
Response: I wait upon You, Lord.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.