TOGETHER
Darryl C Drever
Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12
Genesis 33: 13, 14
I felt confirmed by our referring again to Acts 2 and what we enjoyed on Lord’s day, and in particular verse 44: “all that believed were together”. I have only a simple thought about being together; my exercise is for myself, and I would hope it is with each one of us, in the way of encouragement, that we should be more in the enjoyment of being together with one another; and more importantly being together in our walk with the Lord Jesus.
I read this paragraph in Ecclesiastes, thinking particularly that the “threefold cord” is the most important point of that paragraph; but I was affected to think of the encouragement it is to ponder that “Two are better than one”. Each of us might understand that in a different way. Having a friend or perhaps a partner in our lives here is a wonderful thing. We begin with ourselves as two individuals, and having the Lord Jesus. We have referred to the paths of life and I was thinking that, while sometimes we walk a path just by ourselves, it is an enjoyable thing to be able to walk with somebody else, to enjoy company with one another. That is the encouragement to think of being together, first and foremost with the Lord Jesus. It is not only being together having two objects, but it carries the idea that they are close. It is encouraging to think about what there is to be enjoyed with other persons, fellow believers. It is good to see that when scripture says, “Two are better than one”, it is not just two random people. It would have in mind two of the assembly, two saints being together. That is a wonderful thought; it is encouraging that we can be linked together even with just one individual who knows the Lord as we know the Lord
The threefold cord is an important thought; it is not only a question about who we might be linked to down here: are we linked together with the Lord? That would particularly bring in our households. Each one of us can be in the good of it in the paths of life. We can go in that way with the Lord Jesus. There are a few different examples of how we can be a help and a support to one another, and I think we find that in being together. Even in a simple occasion such as this, we gather together. What is there that we can enjoy with one another? Each time we gather together we can enjoy fellowship with one another. That is my exercise, whenever we gather together: am I looking for something fresh? Am I looking for something from the Lord each time that we come together? The Lord delights to see us together with one another; it should be a place of strength, a place of safety, to be together with one another. Verse 12 refers to what can be withstood. It is encouraging that we can find strength and support in being together - not only in gatherings where we gather to meet for the Lord’s things or to read the scriptures. There is fellowship in our households too. We were speaking about the importance of households. I think some of the times I have felt the most encouraged were in my own household, when we have the saints together at the table and we give thanks. That simple thought of fellowship, bringing households together, bringing individuals together, is a wonderful thing. It is an encouragement that we would be more in the good of that, more in the enjoyment of that.
I referred to the scripture in Genesis 33: the simplicity of Jacob’s attitude is what really stands out to me; the love that he has for those that are his. He brings in the thought of children and the flock and going together at the pace of the children. I have wondered about that recently as to the children being tender. We are all children, in one sense, even when we get older; we are always children. It is good to be freshly reminded of that, that we are all children of God. We had not too long ago the thought as to being dependent and simple as a child, depending on the Lord. As we look at those around, there are a number of children that we can be thankful for in our families, and in our circle of fellowship. Children are tender. We are all tender at times in our lives; we could speak of those who are slightly older as weak. The children are tender. Being together is a wonderful place for the children to be brought up and to be brought up in the good of these things, what we can enjoy together. Speaking respectfully of others , we certainly would not want to be together, to spend our spare time, with those who do not have an appreciation for the Lord’s things. I say that carefully because we are to be a good testimony and spread the word of the Lord. But there is a special place for fellowship, security and enjoyment in being together with those who have love for the Lord Jesus.
At the end of verse 14, the pace is brought in; “the pace of the cattle that is before me, and according to the pace of the children”. I was thinking how we want to go on all together as one, in unity and in the love of the Holy Spirit. It does not mean that we can only learn slowly, but we would desire that we would all be moving together. There would be progress in each one. There is a difference with driving on, driving on herds or things like that could sometimes be a hard thing. But we are to go “on at my ease according to the pace”; that would be the Lord’s desire, that we would always be moving with one another, constantly growing, but going on at ease. It would not be a rushed or a hurried thing or a stressful thing, but we are to go on and enjoy fellowship with one another. We are to learn more about the Lord’s things so that there might be growth in each one of us.
My impression has been about the joy and encouragement there can be in being together with one another, first and foremost together with the Lord, always looking steadfastly on Jesus in our pathway. Then there is so much that can be enjoyed in the fellowship and what we have here on earth in the body, in the assembly.
May this be for our encouragement. May the Lord bless the word.
Word in a meeting for ministry, Calgary
6th April 2022