HEAVENSREEF

PSALM 50: 5 “GATHER TO ME MY FAITHFUL ONES, WHO MADE A COVENANT WITH ME BY SACRIFICE.”

Gather to ME…….gather in HIS presence.  Soon we will all be gathering for Thanksgiving.  And due to the virus, some are under severe restrictions and my heart hurts for this.  For some, there will just be two or three around a table and for many there will be an empty chair.

Let’s remember some will spend Thanksgiving on the street and there will be some who will enjoy a Thanksgiving feast with all the fixings you could ever imagine.

But one thing is certain, GOD does call us to gather in HIS name.

I have fond memories of Thanksgiving at my house when I was little.  Mom would start early and Dad always brought home someone I didn’t even know to gather around our long table.  But what I learned from those gatherings is that the best conversation and love is found around a table.

My father who was my example of living a life in CHRIST loved sitting with anyone over coffee and pie.  It’s funny how now in my life my favorite thing to do is to meet someone for coffee! Oh what conversation and problems are solved when we gather with one another.

Our LORD gathers people in all sorts of ways and HE told us this long ago…….

“MATTHEW 18: 20 “FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE AM I AMONG THEM.”

Oh what a comfort it is to know that when we gather together as one in HIS name, that HE is there right with us among us!!

GOD gathers people…….HE gathers families, friends, small groups and Churches.  HE gathers the Body of Christ as one, in HIS name.

Let us never gather without remembering HIM and honoring HIM.  And why does HE gather us?  To glorify HIM but also for this……

Because through one another we realize the need for HIS immeasurable love and power, so that when we scatter into the world, we will live on mission for the Gospel.

EPHESIANS 1: 19 “……AND WHAT IS THE IMMEASURABLE GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US WHO BELIEVE ACCORDING TO THE WORKING OF HIS GREAT MIGHT.”

Spiritual poverty makes us long for one another.  We long to gather with one another to edify one another and build one another up.  I have never felt this more than I have this year!  How about you?  Are you longing for all of GOD’S people?

Our present world does not understand why we gather honoring the ONE that we do and the persecution is very evident now in our news.  They don’t understand our reverence for JESUS who died on the Cross for our sins. For we are citizens of Heaven and not of this world looking forward to the day we all gather around that grand table in HEAVEN.

ISAIAH 60:4  “RAISE YOUR EYES AND LOOK AROUND, THEY ALL GATHER AND COME TO YOU.”

Yes……that grand table of heaven should remain in our minds.  We can imagine it……oh what a feast that will be!

It truly is all grace that we gather and then it is HIS power that we have the courage to scatter.  So whether there are a few or many around your table this year, be thankful that HE gathers us always from every tribe, tongue and nation!

PSALM 106: 47  “SAVE US, LORD OUR GOD, AND GATHER US FROM THE NATIONS, SO THAT WE MAY GIVE THANKS TO YOUR HOLY NAME AND REJOICE IN YOUR PRAISE.”

Let’s be truly thankful this Thanksgiving that whether we are with many or with a few, that GOD gathers us in HIS name, because HE first chose us and in that, we are truly blessed this season!

WHEREVER YOU ARE, HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING MY FRIENDS.  CHRIST IS WITH YOU AS YOU GATHER WITH ONE ANOTHER.  REMEMBER HIM AND PRAISE HIM!

PSALM 69:30 “I WILL MAGNIFY HIM WITH THANKSGIVING.”