There’s No Place Like Home
The scripture, “where two are gathered in my name, I am there among them,” (Matthew 18: 19-20) is so commonly referred to it’s almost cliché. But when I think about fellowship and community, these lines resonate for me because of their glorious simplicity (i.e. all you need are two individuals to invite the Lord’s presence). The magic of this almost reminds me of the wonder Dorothy felt when she realized all she had to do to return to Kansas was click her heels three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home…” Indeed. There is no place like Home. I personally am grateful that it only takes two to help us connect with the Divine and feel heaven here on earth.
Yet this scripture tells us that we are to gather in his name, which implies we are to actively do something, as opposed to just gathering for the sake of mere socializing. To me, gathering “in His name” implies prayer. And while we can pray alone, there seems to be an extra Holy Spirit charge when two pray together. Prayer serves as a conduit to God.
I particularly appreciate this scripture because for the last few years my experience of church has been somewhat disjointed. I travel a considerable amount for work and my flights are often scheduled first thing on a Sunday morning, which results in irregular worship attendance. Added to this, if I’m out of town for weeks at a time, it becomes difficult to maintain small group participation and I end up missing many LJPC events I normally would have enjoyed experiencing. How then does one build cohesion within the Body as well as develop meaningful friendships with other Christians?
At my old church that I attended before I started traveling for work, I knew many people and was a regular fixture at gatherings. Now my experience is so different due to the vocational phase I’m in. And yet I find that if I can pray with someone before or after a service, I develop a sense of fellowship far more meaningful than if I had just slipped out the door. Prayer then becomes a type of glue that connects me to Spirit and the Body even when thousands of miles away from LJPC. Likewise, if I attend a church while out of town and connect with someone in this way, I feel part of a larger fellowship, which isn’t contingent on one’s home church or denomination. Yet nothing delights me more than when I’m on a work trip and my colleagues don’t mind if I say grace. In fact, no one takes issue, even if they are not of faith. Then suddenly we pause, express our gratitude and experience a “peace that surpasses all understanding.” And while it’s fabulous to experience this inside a church building, it’s even more comforting to realize the kingdom is within. We just need to close our eyes, grab someone’s hand and mutter, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home…”
