"Together again. . . ."

“Together again. . . .”

        Isn’t that a marvelous scene when Jesus took Peter, James, and John and went up into a mountain to be transfigured so the disciples could see His glory in a physically visible way. And both Moses and Elijah came in bodily form with glory from God to talk with Jesus. And we know what they talked about because scripture tells us! “They spoke about His departure. . . .” Luke 9:31–his homegoing to heaven. They had been “dead” for 1500 years, but there they were!–in recognizable bodily form speaking in understandable human language. “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living,” so they were not “dead” in the way most people think of it. They were very much alive and in the Presence of God.

        What insights that gives us into the glory that yet awaits us when God takes us home to be with Him. Look at the pattern you see in these verses from the Old Testament: “ Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.” Genesis 25:8 ESV

        “And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days.” Genesis 35:29

        Then Jacob commanded them and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite.” Genesis 49:29

“When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.” Genesis 49:33

        God spoke to Moses, "Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel. . . .” Numbers 20:24

And He told Moses, “[You will] die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.” Deut. 32:50

        The pattern is clear: when we die, we go to be with “our people” as well as “with the Lord.” We’re not alone and we’re no longer separated from many we love.

        That same truth was taught in a slightly different way when David’s little son died and David said, “But now he is dead. . . . Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." 2 Samuel 12:23

        So scripture gives us an expectation, an anticipation, of a future personal glorious reunion with those we love so dearly in this life.  Surely that will give you comfort and encouragement as you look forward to seeing each other again.

        Today one of my granddaughters entrusted to my care what was probably the last letter that her Mimi wrote to her before the Lord took her home. Minnie gave her some of her jewelry to have and remember her by and here is part of what she wrote, “When you wear it remind yourself that I am surrounded by all the jewels and crowns of heaven–and remember that great reunion that is coming when we all get to heaven. I love you and your little family so very much and have been blessed that all of you are parts of our lives.” (Mimi to Wendy, December 2009)

          We will not only be “together again,” we will be “together forever!”