Today is the gathering day when the children of God put good, but lesser, things aside so that they may enjoy the best of things offered to them. To gather with brothers and sisters in the place where Father dwells in that unique presence is our delight. We come happy to sing and to serve. Some may come weeping but we will not allow them to weep alone. Others will arrive in their overflowing and we will be refreshed by just being near to them. My eyes will look upon little children whose parents trust by faith in the wisdom of putting them underneath the fountain of God’s precious truth. These little ones have had much time in the past week for academic learning and playing – and today they cap all of that necessary work in their lives with receiving lasting pearls of great price in the house of prayer. You, Jesus, told us adults to make sure we come as these children do so that we also might receive the Kingdom of God. Those who are the oldest among us will also come today and they are again reminded why they have invested so much for so long as Your servants. Their very presence today testifies to my generation and younger, “This is the way. Learn from me. Walk herein.” Where would I be today had it not been for the consistent examples of those with the silver hair and their commitment to the Kingdom? Thank You, Father, for my elders who are finishing their years and continue to run the race with their hearts affixed to the prize. And where do I fit in to all of this? I see myself as the servant on this Sunday and, for the purpose of this blog, I participate in some holy hijacking of ancient words from a friend whom I have never met. King David, who helps me so deeply and so often, prayed,
“Now therefore may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, so that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord God, have spoken, and with Your blessing shall the house of Your servant be blessed forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:29
So bless this house, my God. Let the saints who gather here today be filled by You. Let them be thrilled in You. Then let them be spilled by You into the lives of many others. Let each one see the validity of their placement here in this house by You. Let them ask with the younger David, “Is there not a cause?” and then make them to hear with no uncertainty that the answer is YES, yes there is certainly a cause. There is a reason for us to come together today and that reason is simply to rejoice in Your Son, Jesus. We come for Him and we come together in Him. As we have worshipped this week in a scattered state with one here and another there, we know that it brings some deep pleasure to Your infinite heart to see us drop all lesser things and join with one another for the purposes of worshiping our King as a community of faith. Bless the house of Your servant, forever! Do not bless subtly or with a light touch. Let Your omnipotence fuel the blessing I am requesting. You are no miser who needs prodding or priming. You are Father! As Your own child, I delight in asking You for things which seem big to me. I do not ask for a token of Your affection but rather a torrent of Your love for us. It is not the physical substance that I am requesting this morning but something better, something far more enduring. Your servant asks for Your fullness today. Some remarkable manifestation in the congregation of the righteous which leaves us with no doubt that Abba has drawn near. You choose the particulars because I know that they will be the best we can receive. We only lift up our voices and say to You that You are what we desire most. You are our Beloved. You are our Treasure. You are our Breath and Life and Song and Shout! We are most interested in You today and we boldly confess that even the best substitute that another might offer us will leave us deflated and discouraged.
You know what we mean when we say we want to meet with You today, Abba. You read the score of our hearts and hear its music. Even when we cannot express ourselves properly and the desire for You within, we may rest knowing that You have always known what is in the heart of mankind. Look there today in my own heart and You will find hunger for You. I am confident today that my appetite will be satisfied in the moments I gather with Your other children for the feast You have prepared for this precious day. Oh, praise You, Lord Jesus. Praise You, Holy Spirit. Praise You, Abba.