“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” (Matthew 18:20 NAS95)
I originally understood this verse as saying something about prayer, and while that remains true, I noticed something more. God has led me to a perspective on prayer that brings to the fore Jesus’ presence. “I am in their midst.”
For me, that means Jesus leads.
What am I discerning in community becomes the question. As God brought this passage into my awareness, daily and frequently, the point concerned discerning Jesus and His desires. This transformed my understanding of prayer from getting people together to agree so God had to fulfill our requests, to hearing from Jesus together for His purposes.
I call it communion in community. I gather with others to hear from Jesus to discern His way through this community to those beyond its walls. I’ve noticed the heart of Jesus never changes. He died for all and desires all to know Him. My desires, my activities, change daily. I don’t always hold Jesus and His heart or purposes in clear view. I noticed having others around me, who hunger to pursue and know Jesus, help me to focus on His desires. I caught sight of this long ago when speaking with those far from God about the gospel. I always have more courage when I am with another. Communion in community — “where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Even today, I sense empowerment for Jesus’ purposes when I am with others pursuing His desires.
Over time I began to see that community pursuing God’s desires had a sense of presence and power to it. Jesus’ felt presence deepened into a communion with Him and those with us. Even this last summer, leading college students in outreach, I noticed empowerment, transformation, and joy occurring all at once and over time. I saw this in me and in those we led. Sure, we prayed. More so we felt Jesus’ presence through communion with Him in community centered on His desires. I came to realize that the verse cited above carried a very literal felt sense of Jesus in our midst.
God’s conversations with me take time, but they lead to real and practical experience with Him. In this case, prayer deepened into recognizing His presence with us as we followed His leading. Communion in community centered on Jesus consistently gave way to experiencing His presence with us.
For Reflection:
“And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”” (Exodus 33:14 NAS95)
- How has community helped you discern Jesus and His desires in the past?
- What ways are you pursuing to discern Jesus in your midst with others?
