Perhaps it may turn out a sang,
Perhaps turn out a sermon.

-- R. Burns Epistle to a Young Friend

Friday, September 4, 2015

One, Two, Three,



For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.  -- Matthew 18:20


Our God is omnipresent.  Why would Jesus make this statement?  Here is another:  Wherever there are (two) they are not without God, and wherever there is one alone I say I am with him.  Then this , too, is attributed to Jesus:  Raise the stone and there thou shalt find me, cleave the wood and there am I. 

In Christ the Eternal Tao, we read:  Two is the number that separates, / Three the number that transcends all separation.

The Lord was teaching about binding and loosing, forgiving and correcting, and the power of agreement in prayer.  A.T. Robertson, in his Word Pictures, explains about agreement:   Shall agree (συμφωνησωσιν). Our word "symphony" is this very root. It is no longer looked at as a concord of voices, a chorus in harmony, though that would be very appropriate in a church meeting rather than the rasping discord sometimes heard even between two brethren or sisters.

Something happens when we agree not only in words but in spirit.  A symphony of spirits transcends the barriers of physical existence.  It is one of the best reasons to attend church, or, at least, gather occasionally with fellow believers.  I sense it sometimes in the congregational singing, in our time of communion, sometimes when we engage in corporate prayer, that heaven comes down or we rise up.  Worldly worries, concerns and limitations are left behind. 

Ecclesiastes talks about how two are better than one alone (4:9-12).  Together we lift up the fallen and keep one another from becoming cold, forgetting God and losing our passion for Christ and our perspective in difficult times.  By having brothers and sisters standing with us and encouraging us, we are able to overcome adversaries and adversities that might be otherwise overwhelming.    

Christ the Eternal Tao talks about Mind, Word, and Breath. The Breath of God within me prays through the Word of God to the Mind of God.  

Four.

4 comments:

julie said...

Funny, I was just thinking of that introductory verse about fifteen minutes before reading this post. How the truth of it once again points to relationship; perhaps being the nature of God, it is where he is most obviously present.

The Breath of God within me prays through the Word of God to the Mind of God.

Four.


Reminds me of YHWH - the Tetragrammaton, or also a tetrahedron, which of course is a four-sided pyramid made up of equilateral triangles...

mushroom said...

I suppose the humorous take would be that we need God most when dealing with other people. A tetrahedron is almost magical. They are my most common doodle.

Anonymous said...

Well, twos and threes can be squaring and cubing functions. The old feed store in the canyon has reopened as an Old Gospel Cowboy Church. They kept the horses and old trucks.

Might have to show up and hit the piano, and belt out some older tunes.

Hell, the Shakers and the Quakers are not really active these days. The Amish are dealing with the Somali neighbors.

That place would not hold more than thirty cowboys. More room outside. Hitching posts. There is a traveling preacher with a covered wagon and oxen. Funny thing is, this is just a couple of miles down the road from the Megachurch, with the billboard, and fancy cars.

They have local cops check out the visitors. Old trucks and working families are watched.
Probably best to show up and praise God, and not be targeted by the wealth and corruption.

The pilgrims walk around barefoot.

USS Ben USN (Ret) said...

Hi Mush! Excellent post. I have a lot of catching up to do, which is good. :)