From the beginning to the end of Scripture, the Lord was seeking to gather people to Himself. Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and they hid themselves, but the Lord came to gather them back to Himself. The very last verses of Revelation read “The Spirit and the bride say “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come;” (Revelation 22:17) Throughout the Old Testament the Lord promises that He will gather His people together (Psalm 106:47, Isaiah 11:12, Jeremiah 29:14, Ezekiel 11:17). In Matthew 23:37-38 Jesus laments that though He wanted to gather his people under His wings as a hen gathers her chicks, they would not. In John 11:52 we see that the purpose of Jesus was to “gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.” In the last days Jesus will “send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds…” (Matthew 24:31)

 

       Jesus is a gatherer and those who are with Him are to be gatherers. In Matthew 9:36-38 Jesus bemoans the shortage of laborers in the fields to gather the harvest, so he exhorts us to ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest. So important is the gathering work to Jesus that He labels it an essential characteristic of those who are with Him. He says, “He who does not gather with Me scatters” (Matthew 12:30). Through the years I have noticed that it is not those who are busy about the work of gathering with Christ who harm the cause of Christ but those who are idle. 

       I want to be one who gathers with Christ. While in Ecuador a couple of weeks ago we had an appointment to visit a church member in a distant community. When we arrived at her farm we found her elderly mother, but she was not there. We sat a while visiting with her mother hoping that she would return soon. After a while we decided to see if we could find someone in the area with whom we could share Christ since the original plan seemed to be in question. After a little searching we found someone who knew the lady with whom we were to visit and a few texts and calls later not only had we found the lady we were to meet with originally, but a meeting place was arranged, and many others were invited to come for Bible study. Soon, we had house full of folks who came eager to study the Word. We enjoyed a fruitful Bible Study time that was well received. Gathering with Christ is often an adventure and always a joy. Let’s make sure that every day we are intentional about gathering with Jesus.