Thursday, August 23, 2012

Gotta Have Friends

Matthew 18:20 
"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”



I will not pretend that I understand the divine nature of the Holy Spirit.  How He can be in us and around us and with everyone else all at the same time?  My finite mind was not made to comprehend that wonder, but just to be awed by it. I do know that, while I serve a magnificent God Who can do that, He has not left me completely in the dark.

Great things can be discovered on your own.  Want to hide in the woods?  Go right ahead, Mr. Emerson, find your "enlightenment" at Walden.  God even tells us to retreat to our prayer closet to find Him.  (The context of that text was a reminder not to be boastful to others, praying for the benefit of others who see you.  However, you may also find solitude free of distraction and more amiable to better focus and connection.)

But I don't think we were meant to travel our journey on this earth alone.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 tells us, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?"

It is a joke among my friends that I am on Facebook often.  I don't feel guilty about it anymore. I love knowing what is going on with people close to me.  I have made many friendships, improved others, and learned an awful lot from these people as well.  What does that tell me?  To quote Solomon again, nothing is new under the sun.  I have yet to come across a problem someone else has not seen.  And from others who have not seen the problems I have come sympathy and prayers.  This is God's physical provision, I think, as we work through our faith.  Making the unseen seen.  If my friends can speak loving words to me, how much more love is the Father feeling for me?

Ten years ago, when my oldest was a baby, there was no Facebook.  I lived in a neighborhood filled with other mothers at home with their babies, and I did not know a one of them.  I was lonely, and I was sad.  When my baby was 6 months old, I finally called an old friend, whose child was a few months older than mine.  She had gone through many of the same problems I did with her baby, and I could hardly believe the relief I felt in knowing that.  

We were meant to hold each other up and carry one another's burdens.  They are too heavy for one person.  And while Jesus is standing there with his light yoke, ready to switch with us, sometimes we are just too blind to see Him.  Let's be thankful for the helping hands around us, doing their part to hand us over to loving guidance of the Lord.


10 comments:

  1. love it! especially as I am on facebook a lot too :)

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  2. I would like to comment on this by saying that looks like you are a good writer and know how to put your thoughts on writing. As I read this a couple things come to mind. You say that he has not left you completely in the dark but I have to put that against scripture since 1st Peter 2:9 reads " But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light". The context of Peter 2:9 is not prosperity lingo but who we are in Christ. So he has call us out of darkness not by anything we've done but by the works of Christ. I do find interesting how how want your readers to make sure they understand how you are taking something out of contexts but you clarify the point you are trying to make when you quote Matthew 6:6 where we read " But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. " even thou there is truth on what you said you make sure we (the reader) understand that you are taking some liberty with it. But it concerns me how you are using Matthew 18:20 out of context since even thou the verse it self talks about God's omnipresence the context has to do with discipline in the church not necessarily us getting together in a social media or perhaps in a friends home. Yes God is omnipresent but in this case the context is dealing with a brother that doesn't want to repent of his or her sin. As I said before you writing style is good but we must keep the scripture within context even thou we migh be giving good advice we must be loyal to the text of scripture.
    God bless.

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  3. Thank you for your comment, Anonymous. I glad to see you are looking out for my readers. First let me point out that in my blog, and this is a good time to remind old and new readers, I am not hoping to teach anyone new information. I am not a Biblical scholar, just someone who loves His Word. It is my desire to use His word to spur others on and encourage them in their walk. I am hoping what one would take away from this post is that God is there with us when we are connecting with each other in His Name. We were meant to help each other and carry each other in prayer.

    But to address your scriptural concerns. When I look through the context of Matthew 18, I see an entire chapter discussing interpersonal relationships and how to deal with one another. I feel that the message then of the verse I cite (18:20) is that God appreciates us praying for and with one another. In regard to my reference to darkness, I do indeed believe that we as Christians are called to the Light. However, this world is not where we are able to access that Light. We can see briefly, a glimpse of His goodness when He calls us, but we will not see in full until we are called home. (I Cor. 13:12) So, while it is not complete darkness here on earth, the fact that we do not have all the answers leads us to believe that there is a greater Light to reach where we will have access to it all.

    I hope this helps you see where I was coming from. However, if there is still error, I am open to correction. Thank you.

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  4. Just wanted to respond to your reply to reply to anonymous point by point. One of your 1st points is that you are not trying to teach so if that is the case please don't use scripture and stick to the good advise you are giving. Now let's look at the scripture at hand, the scripture is cleare in verse 15 when it states "if your brother sins agains you" the scripture is clear, this is not talking about simple interpersonal relationships this is talking about how we deal with a brother or sister that has sined agains us. I don't understand how you say that verse 20 has to do with our prayers when prayer is not mention in this portion of scripture anywhere within this teaching (This doesn't mean that God doesn't hear the prayers of His sons and Daughters) . But agin this is not about my opinion or your opinion is about what the scripture tells us. I see you are a director of Crhistian education and I've heard your pastor preach and some how his view of scripture and yours don't matched. So I would advice you to let him review things you publish since you to some extend represent the congregation you are a member of when you right and as of now some work is needed. But again my intention is not to be nasty but if anything I just pray you would let your pastor.

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  5. Anonymous, you say you have heard the pastor preach. It sounds like you are a regular attender. So, you likely know TC Slonaker. If your concerns are that great than you should speak directly with her instead of anonymously through this blog. You have really distracted from the purpose of this blog.
    TC Slonaker's husband

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  6. Sorry it took me this long to reply but I just wanted to clarify some of the points you mentioned, 1st of all I never said that I was a regular to your church, what I said is that I've heard your pastor preach. If I'm not mistaking your church uploads every sermon to their website ( http://www.harvestfellowshipchurch.org/sermons.html ) . Now as I stated before this comments are not going after a person but after the misuse of Holy Scripture. But again if good advice and encouragement is being giving keep at it but lets be careful with the way we use scripture. When we go to scripture we have to read it in context not bringing our own opinions or interpretation since as you know scripture was written with a purpose and the main purpose is to point us to Christ thru repentance of sin and Faith in Christ . That was one of the criticism Jesus brought agains the Jews in John 5:39-40. He wasn't criticism their view of scripture but their use of it. Please go back to 2 Peter 3:14 -18 when Peter talks about how the ignorant twist scriptures for their own destruction and how he tells us not to be like them and we can also see how in Matthew 15:9 when Jesus again goes after the Pharisees not because they are teaching God's word but because how they are teaching it (adding to scriptures to the point that they turned it into doctrines of man). In conclusion as I said before by no means I'm coming after the person writing this blog (for all I know you have a great family and a great husband ) but what I'm coming after is the misuse of the holy scriptures.
    So keep giving good advice and encouragement but if the bible will be use as a base for that encouragement and or advice let's make sure is done within context.

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  7. It amazes me how some see their goal in life to correct others and make sure they are enlightened by their wisdom while completely missing the point of whatever they are "correcting." It's a wonder: to feel so convicted they are right while another is wrong yet not feel convicted enough to actually put their name to their correction. Makes me wonder whether these anonymous types actually contribute to others first hand or only tear down what others are trying to do with their gifts. And if you don't appreciate or agree with what another is writing, you can always choose not to read it. While putting my name to this post I'll also be forthright & acknowledge I know & appreciate both the author & her husband from college days and have found them both to be a major blessing in my life even from afar. Both are committed to pray & support those they know are struggling and to using their gifts to try & encourage others with their walk with The Lord. I respond because I'm offended that one anonymous person can squelch a blessing to others by discouraging another with your own interpretation, yes , interpretation of Scripture.

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  8. Tracy, I want to encourage you...I don't think you have taken anything out of context or misused scripture. And I agree with the above comment...this 'anonymous' commenter has chosen to pit his/her INTERPRETATION of scripture against yours, deciding his/hers is the correct one.

    Additionally, you applied scripture to a current context, not MISusing it, but saying, in essence, another way it can apply. Just the same as what Peter did, at the time that the disciples needed to fill the spot left by Judas, and he quoted from the Psalms. The passage in Psalms was not merely pointing to that specific time and place when the disciples would be choosing someone to replace the fallen disciple. However, even though in the original writing it was referring to something else, it could ALSO be applied by Peter, as he did. So, what you did in referencing the verses you did was not wrong or unbiblical. To say that "where 2 or 3 are gathered", God is there as well does not ONLY apply to church discipline situations. To say that can be used ONLY in that context is simply...to be blunt...absurd.

    Please know that your words support and encourage many. Obviously, your church trusts and supports your application of scripture, or they would not affirm you as they do, both personally and through your recognized position there. (And knowing you personally, as well as many of your church family, I know that they DO in fact, affirm and support you!) So keep on writing and encouraging and letting the Holy Spirit guide you as you seek to serve...you're doing a great job!!!

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  9. Having read anon.'s comments , I'll put my oar in the water. Having been a Christian for 57 yrs. & having heard & studied w/ people all over the map in their "private" interpretations of the Word ,I'd say she did a very credible job. I've heard a few better & LOTS worse.& unfortunately I feel yous falls in the latter. I will also admit to being on good terms w/ both. But, they also know if I felt them wrong I would go to them personally & not behind anon. notes. Be responsible for your statements & publicly own them. God bless you.

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