It is quite certain that those who are whole-hearted for Christ desire to be in His company. They instinctively wend their way to the spot where He is known to be. Is there such a spot on earth? Yes, " Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20).)
No one who is truly conscious of the greatness and excellency of His person, and of the blessedness of communion with Him, would willingly he absent from that favored place. A neglected Lord's Table, and a neglected prayer-meeting, speak aloud of the Laodicean state of the heart towards Him. We read that of old "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:4242And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42)). Alas, that there should be such a lack of continuing steadfastly now!
Does the Lord say to the Father, In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee " (Heb. 2:1212Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. (Hebrews 2:12)), and can we suppose that He fails to notice whether we are there or not, to join in the song He leads?
In the coming day of review before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)), how shall we take the disclosure, that self-indulgence, a little unfavorable weather. or a tiff with a brother or sister in Christ has outweighed with us all the might motives for a loving response to His wish: “This do in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:1919And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. (Luke 22:19))?
It is deeply humbling to think that any who have tasted the Lord's love can take advantage of not having to work on the Lord's day to spend its morning hours bed, and that others can excuse their absence from its meetings on the ground of visiting, or receiving visits from friends. Priceless opportunities of gratifying the heart of the Lord, and of showing our attachment to Him in the scene of His rejection are thus wasted and lost.
It is mere mockery to repeat Come Lord, Jesus," and use glowing expressions of desire to be with Him in glory, if, by our absence from His assembly, we betray our indifference to His presence here.
Closely connected with the foregoing is the question of time. Where is our reverence for the Lord, or our sense of His grace, where our responsive love, if we come with lagging steps, five, ten or fifteen minutes after He has taken His place in the midst of His own?
It was easy in the freshness of first love, to come early to the place where lie manifests Himself in such a peculiarity blessed way. Excuses were not made. Has He become less precious? The moments we May thus spend together with Him on earth stained with His blood, ar, swiftly passing way. Let us not willingly lose one of them.
It is touching to remember that no thought of all the sufferings that awaited Him, of Himself presently becoming the true passover, “sacrificed for us," delayed the Lord's appearing at His last paschal feast. “When the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him (Luke 22:1414And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. (Luke 22:14)). Oh for a holy eagerness to he where He is!