Let us Exalt His Name Together

“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

Psalms 34:3

About a month after Jason and I were married, his oldest sister, Erin, presented us with a wedding scrapbook she had made. On the first page, she wrote Psalm 34:3: "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together."

Together is such a neat word. It is defined as- with or in proximity to another person or people; at the same time. God created us to need each other. We are not meant to be completely independent of one another.

A year after we met, in August 2003, Jason and I took a trip to Niagara Falls for an overdue honeymoon getaway. While there, we purchased a wooden sign that read: "Grow old with me. The best is yet to be." It has hung in every place we've lived, including the dashboard of our car during some of our time on deputation. While Jason was purchasing this wall decoration, the cashier made a remark that came across as though she didn't believe this simple statement. She wore no wedding ring which and her cynical attitude may have been a result of a divorce. How sad to prefer "solitude" over "together".

I'll admit, I enjoy being alone for brief periods of time. It's nice to go off on a peaceful walk or sit quietly working without having to talk to anyone. But I don't believe I'd be happy with it for too long. Eventually I'd desire to be together with my family again.

And how about an even better together? Once we were dead in sin, eternally separated from God. But Christ made a way for us to be together. Ephesians 2:4-10 "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Amen to that!

Together with Christ. How awesome is that!