Where two or more are gathered......



"Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize) together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven. For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them." Matthew 18:19-20

What is Advent, but God coming near? That is the great miracle that we celebrate. God comes to us in human form, but at the same time, He comes to us as Creator, Everlasting Father, Eternal and Righteous Judge. In Jesus we find every attribute of God the Father, in the form of a defenseless infant.

In every area of our lives we cry out for God to come near. We need help. We start life with optimism and enthusiasm but as we try to navigate along life's twists and turns we sometimes lose hope. We wonder what happened. We don't understand and we ask why. Families become strangers living in the same house. We wonder where the old feelings went and we long for those times to come back. Our lives become scattered pieces, and we don't know how to put them back together. It seems everywhere we look we see shining examples of people with perfectly formed lives where all the pieces fit and it is discouraging. What it feels like is that God loves them more....But that is always Satan talking.

Maybe you feel like all is well in your life, great! Give Him thanks! And humbly realize that you need Him no less than when chaos reigns!

Always remember, He came because He loves you! He is the only One who can bring peace in the midst of chaos. A relationship with Christ is like standing in the center of a hurricane. While destruction and trouble whirl around us, we are safe in the calm, in the center with Him.With Christ we get that happy ending we always longed for, and no, it is not too good to be true! Advent has come, will continue to come until He comes for the last time.

The miracle of Christmas means that He is accessible, reachable, altogether approachable! Through prayer right now we draw Him close. We have hope that though circumstances in our lives may not be as we want them to be now, we believe Him when He says that one day He will set things right forever.....And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new " And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." Revelation 21:5

When Christ comes near to us we realize that this is finally possible and our hearts burst with joy unspeakable. This is everything we dreamed of. When Christ comes near, we begin to understand and believe in His promise at last. We have much to celebrate not only this time of year, but all year long.

  

Before I left home, at my folk's house in the quiet of the morning firelight we were alone, just the three of us. I grabbed both of their hands and said I wanted to pray for them. As I did so, I could not speak for a few moments. I thought of what they mean to me, have meant all their lives. I thought of all the sorrow they have been through, how strong they have always been for me, how they love me.....my voice quavered a prayer and it quavered throughout the prayer, and that's okay. Tears were shed, and I think Jesus shed one too. Together the four of us agreed, held fast by bonds of everlasting love.

Grab the hand of someone this day and thank them for being in your life, even if it makes them uncomfortable and they give you a strange look! Pray for each other and feel Him draw close. Give each other the gift of Advent today and feel eternity come near.

Photo by ForestWander Nature Photography.