In the Congregation
January 31st, 2010Psalms 107:31-32 KJV Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (32) Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
How sweet and how wonderful is the place of intimacy that is our personal refuge in the presence of the Lord. Moses must have valued so highly His moments of personal exposure to the glory of God. The burning bush, the mountain encounter, and each personal communication from Almighty God surely made him to feel the need to pursue this relationship to the exclusion of all others. As precious as each of those moments was for Moses, however, there was a purpose in them that went beyond the personal one on one to how that encounter would affect the people. Moses’ relationship with God found its greatest significance when he took it to the congregation, when what He experienced alone with God was made to impact a nation and a world. His solitude with God, while necessary for personal revelation, was in need of people encounters for its continuance. He understood this so much so that when God was ready to destroy the people for their sinning, Moses spoke passionately about their preservation as if it were necessary for his own. His purpose in God had become directly connected to his purpose in the congregation.
David also seemed to have an understanding that his personal relationship was in need of those times in the congregation. Although he was able to acknowledge the involvement of God from the magnitude of creation to each personal conflict, it was those moments in the congregation that brought gladness to his heart and a joyous response. Though he lived one of the greatest examples of personal nearness to God, his fulfilled purpose was always found in the congregation, honoring, together with others, the faithfulness of His God.
There is a great need for the early morning encounters, even those moments before sleep is completely over. The times alone with God in His Word are essential for a life that will represent Him in holiness and wisdom. For every personal moment of intimacy with God, however, there is a congregational purpose. The heart of the Father is in continual pursuit of all those He’s created, and any pursuit of Him will lead to the place where they gather. For anyone determined to worship the Father in spirit and in truth, there will be a mentor in David, the one whose heart was after God. To follow him would mean a frequent arrival in the congregation where His God was magnified in a way his personal encounters could not replace.
There is a transforming encounter with an incredible God for today. It’s in the secret place where we are preserved, protected, and provided for by the Most High. For every personal exposure to His face and His glory, though, there is a time in the congregation where together with others and their proclaimed victories, Jesus name will be magnified once again. The personal is so precious, but the congregation gives it a purpose of eternal proportions it will never know on its own.
Psalms 111:1 KJV Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
Psalms 149:1 KJV Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

