Seeking Fervor

Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”  I think this means that wherever His people are, He is always with them, even if it only one person.  (It could also mean that there is a special blessing when believers gather for the specific purpose of worshipping, praying, sharing faith, studying, etc.)  However, when one examines prayer meetings across the country, it looks as if people view “two or three” as the maximum number of people instead of a minimum number.  Christians, mostly, do not attend prayer meetings any more, unless the meetings are accompanied by food or entertainment.  Even our own midweek service seems to have three or fewer attendees. 

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I am not criticizing anyone in our own congregation about attendance at the midweek service.  All our people are greatly scattered, from south Augusta to Hephzibah to Louisville to Evans to Edgefield to Aiken.  It is nontrivial to make the trip to the church.  Furthermore, many of us are older, making everyday life more challenging and difficult to make the trip.  Of course, some of us have jobs that prohibit attendance at the meeting.  Certainly, I am not in a position to criticize anyone on church attendance. 

That settled, let’s get back to the issue.  As I have previously stated, we are now living in a time when our past thought processes and actions should no longer be a guide.  The avalanche of last-day events is too swift to ignore.  Although it was never a proper attitude, a superficial relationship with the body of Christ, to Bible study, to witnessing, to prayer, to surrendering to the teachings of Jesus, to loving relationships with others, may have seemed okay, given it has been over 150 years since the coming of Jesus was fervently taught.  However, since then, the SDA church has largely fallen asleep.  It would be unusual to conclude that we in North Augusta are exempt from this condition. 

Luke 12:37 – Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. 

Luke 21:36 – But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” 

After receiving the early outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the New Testament church “devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).  Notice what they devoted themselves to:  studying Christian teachings, fellowshipping among themselves, fellowship meals (likely including Communion), and praying together.  They felt it was important for the church to gather together, because they were “devoted” to these activities. 

I have not forgotten that this was a time of considerable harassment of the church by the Jews.  Members were expelled from the synagogue.  We would call this “cancelling” or being found with a low social credit score today.  Friends would shun them; businesses would not do business with them; employers would fire them.  Thus, they pressed together.  “They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:45-47). 

This occurred at the beginning of the Christian church, but we are now near the end.  I believe that the latter rain will soon be falling, and we will all be cancelled in a big way.  We will then learn to treasure Christian fellowship, prayer meetings, studying together, sharing food and resources among ourselves.  However, would not such activity also be of value now?  Is it possible that every one of us could now make a greater effort to be present for worship service, Sabbath School, prayer meeting?  Just showing up means more to the others present than most members realize. 

What else should we be doing together?  Can church life be more fulfilling and complete than it is now?  Think about these things and offer suggestions to leadership.  Make an effort to improve our activities with more enthusiastic singing, offering of praises and thankfulness, offering encouragement to the various members, greeting visitors with warmth.  There is much that any one of us can do that would make attendance at our church more attractive. 

I love my local church.  We have the best members of any church of which I have been a member.  However, like all the other churches across the country, we have fallen asleep in these easy times.  Easy times are about to end.  We need to awaken and fulfill the purpose of our existence, in spite of the average age of our members.  God can do much with us because His strength is made perfect in our weakness. 

Rom 13:11 – the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 

PS  Quite independently from me writing the above, on the same day, June shared the third paragraph from In Heavenly Places, March 25, reproduced below.  That June and I were thinking the same thing at the same time was too Providential to not add it to the Message. 

We meet together to edify one another by an interchange of thoughts and feelings, to gather strength, and light, and courage by becoming acquainted with one another's hopes and aspirations; and by our earnest, heartfelt prayers, offered up in faith, we receive refreshment and vigor from the Source of our strength. These meetings should be most precious seasons. 

You might also like to read the second paragraph: 

Seek every opportunity to go where prayer is wont to be made. Those who are really seeking for communion with God will be seen in the prayer meeting, faithful to do their duty, and earnest and anxious to reap all the benefits they can gain. They will improve every opportunity of placing themselves where they can receive the rays of light from heaven.