Yesterday morning I woke really early and decided to spend some extra time in my Bible. I opened to the book of Zechariah and this verse stood out to me.
"Many nations will joining themselves to the Lord on that day, and they, too, will be my people. I will live among you, and you will know that the Lord of Heaven's Armies sent me to you." Zechariah 2:11
Not long after that I learned that a good friend of my family had passed away suddenly the previous week. It came out of nowhere and I can't imagine the pain his family is in. Many of his friends are reeling from this sudden loss but we can all take comfort in knowing that He's with his Heavenly Father, safe in the arms of Jesus and dancing with his daughter on streets of gold.
As we're in the holiday season it always starts me thinking of the gatherings that happen this time of year. Thanksgiving, Christmas and even New Year's Eve bring together family and friends. You get groups from different careers, towns, backgrounds and lifestyles coming together because they're connected by family, friends or proximity to the gathering.
As the years go on the faces change, some new ones but sadly a lot of them can no longer be there. Sickness and death overtake us all and take away the ones we love. It's often hard to look around the room and see all those people that are missing.
But this verse reminds me that these are not the gatherings that matter the most. There will be a very different gathering one day. When the Lord returns and those who belong to Him are in heaven and under His reign (or in the new Jerusalem under His reign as this verse talks about) we'll all be together because of the fact that the Lord is our Savior. We'll still be from different backgrounds and regions and languages and people but we'll all be connected by the most important reason of all, Christ. People from every nation, including Israel- God's chosen people- will be gathered together. They will live in harmony and worship Him. And not just for a holiday but for eternity. And eternity of no more sickness or tears or sin or death.
That's the gathering I most look forward to.
And that's the one that my friend has joined. He, along with so many others, will be waiting when it's my turn. We all have those people, the ones who are gathered together just waiting for us to join the greatest gathering of all time. The one we'll find in heaven. As you gather with loved ones for the holiday and remember those you've lost remember to celebrate those who are in heaven and are already safe in the arms of their Savior. And cherish the ones that are still here because loved ones and holidays are given to us to make our lives just a little bit better and that's something we should all celebrate this season.
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