Monday, August 28, 2006

Gathered Together

I was reading Luke 13 when verse 34 caught my attention like it never had before. Jesus said to the city of Jerusalem, "How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!"
There was this sense that what he said to Jerusalem 2000 years ago he is saying today to the city I live in, Harrisburg, PA. Of course, this applies to any and every city. His desire is to gather the people of the city together under himself. This wouldn't be orchestrated by man, but by the Spirit, after the fashion of John 3:8, "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
I envision The Spirit drawing people together in huge public gatherings where the atmosphere is so heavy with the Lord's presence there won't have to be any planned speakers, music, ministry, etc. It will happen by the leading of the Spirit under one name, and one name only - Jesus.
Though many might think this is wishful thinking, I believe it's something God desires. Why not pray, believe and act to that end? What might be the results in a city where a seemingly spontaneous gathering of 100's, swelling into thousands over time, gather to worship and exalt Jesus, and depart to serve and be his witnesses with the love and encouragement imparted to them through their spiritual brothers and sisters?

Comments:
Eric,
Thanks for the excerpt from Derek Prince. I believe as we learn to walk in the Spirit, being constantly led by him, there will be much more spontaneity in the church. It seems quite obvious that the norm for the church as we have known it is a man-led institution. Therefore we see planned and scheduled meetings because that is the only way the church can function. Of course, the Spirit can still lead men to call for a meeting at a specific time. However, when the norm is for a scheduled routine that remains the same, week in and week out, month after month and year after year, it becomes quite apparent that the Spirit is not in charge of when the gatherings take place.
 
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