Community Emphasis
Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed; those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed. Psalm 25:3
Indeed – Why don’t you put the Hebrew word gam into your spiritual vocabulary? It’s a great word. It expresses “also, even, indeed, yea, as well as and moreover.” Depending on the context, it can act like an exclamation point. It draws attention to something that needs to burst forth. That’s exactly why David uses this word. Not only will God guard the king, He will also stand faithfully behind all who wait on Him. That is worth putting in bold letters! When you need to shout out that our God is faithful, compassionate and the only hope for lost Mankind, then add the Hebrew emphasis, gam.
Now reflect for a moment on what this implies. David knew that God is a God of community. God is not the private God of my needs and plans. He is the God of the whole assembly of those who serve Him. Whenever I discover something of God’s nature and character in my life, it has application in the lives of all His children. God is never just for me alone.
Along with that observation, I realize that I am not an isolated believer. As Elijah discovered, there are thousands who share the role of obedient servants of the Most High. Not only is my God not private, I am not private under His banner. I belong to Him – and I am in fellowship with you. Indeed, no one who waits on the Lord is in any different relationship than you or I. When life pushes you into a lonely corner, when the surrounding culture tells you that your faith is a matter of personal, inward belief, you need to know that God is public! He demonstrates His purposes and His character in the public arena. He expects us, as members of His family, to do the same. You need to know that God’s intentional design for being human is found in the community of relationships. Only mistaken Greek metaphysics sees Man as the isolated center of the universe. Hebrew would never suggest such foolishness. God is a God of the people, not the person. If I am in relationship with Him, then I am in relationship with you too.
Isn’t it nice to know that what David discovers about the character of God is just as true for you and me? Isn’t it wonderful that God remains faithful to us with the same affection that He showed to David? I don’t have to worry that somehow what David felt and learned is only for him. I don’t have to fret that I have missed something important because God told you, not me. And best of all, you and I can explore the wonders of the Lord together, in public, and know that this is what God had in mind all along.
Today, God calls us to public worship as the assembly of His children. It is the same call that has been echoing through human beings for thousands of years. What our spiritual predecessors discovered has been revealed for us to enjoy together. So, let’s get together and enjoy the fellowship.
