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REFLECTION

Where two or three are gathered is the theme for our reflection. Jesus assures His disciples and for that matter believers that so long as they make Him the centre of their faith and gathering, He will always be with them regardless of their number during their gatherings. Jesus said, “…For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20).

Dear friend, the quorum for a meeting in an organisation is stated in their constitution but the quorum for Christian worship is “…where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20). This has been my mantra as a pastor when it is time for worship service or any form of Christian gathering for which few people have come early but the majority are late. I will always go ahead and start the service because so far as two or three people have gathered to worship God, He is with them. Unfortunately, some churches start service late because those who have come early wait for latecomers to join in their numbers before worship service starts. What is the essence of having a definite time for starting worship service and what is the motivation for coming to church early if the worship service will not start on time until latecomers come in their numbers? We must learn to see church gatherings as an appointment with God and not with the pastor or other fellow worshippers. We must begin to perceive worship service as equally important as our private work or business. When we have an appointment with our bosses, business partners or the president we demonstrate enthusiasm and punctuality and report an hour earlier before the meeting takes place but when it comes to attending worship service to have an encounter with the King of Kings, most Christians show a lackadaisical attitude. Unrepentantly, we still expect God to remain faithful and gracious to us. Let us remember that the condition precedent for God’s presence in worship is “… where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20). Let us demonstrate our faithfulness to God through our punctuality and enthusiasm towards Christian worship or fellowship because, without the presence of God in the gathering of believers, worship service becomes a mere social gathering where we go to entertain ourselves. If we have the habit of going to church service or church meetings late then we are being invited to repent and pray for the Holy Spirit to transform and revive our faith and spirit. Jesus assures us that “…a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24).

Beloved in the Lord, we must understand that it is possible to come to the house of God and not be mentally and spiritually prepared to meet the Lord. It means that those who come to Church mentally and spiritually prepared to meet the Lord shall encounter Him, hence “… where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20). In others words, we may have a Chapel building of five hundred people but only those who have truly come in the name of the Lord will encounter Him. You will observe that some people come to Church and the whole time they are on their phones, others are conversing while sitting on the pews, and some people even stand outside to converse while worship service is ongoing. The question is, have these people gathered or come to church in the name of the Lord or have they merely come to socialize with others and go back home? It is possible to attend church as a Christian for all these years yet you will not have an encounter with the Lord because you do not “worship in the Spirit and in truth”. (John 4:24) You are like a tenant who does not know his or her landlord. Many Christians are actually churchgoers, we are mere tenants who have never met Jesus the landlord because we hardly go to church prepared to meet Him. Churchgoers go to church for other reasons except to meet Jesus. This is evident in their lateness to church service and their demeanour or posture during worship service. Prophet Malachi’s message for us is “Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi 3:7). Let us remember that God is not only interested in our physical presence in the Chapel but He is most interested in our enthusiasm, punctuality, faithfulness, and spiritual and truthful worship. When we remain faithful to Him, we have the assurance that “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20).

PRAYER ( (Isaiah 64:6-9)

All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
No one calls on your name
or strives to lay hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us
and have given us over to our sins.
Yet you, LORD, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be angry beyond measure, LORD;
do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
for we are all your people.”

Holy Spirit, strengthen us to “worship in the Spirit and in truth.” Amen” (John 4:24)