Jesus longs to "gather [His] children together" (Lk 13:34).God gathers; He is community, an eternal family. Jesus came to this earth to "gather into one all the dispersed children of God" (Jn 11:52).
At one point in our life, we will reach a point of decision — to gather or scatter, to unite or divide, to gather to the Lord or to isolate from God. This goes all the way back to the fall of man in the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve hid from God; they wanted to isolate themselves from Him (Gn 3:8). Perhaps you may have scattered in the past; now is the "time to gather" (Eccl 3:5).
Demonic activity scatters and divides. Satan knows man is weak. He plots to isolate the sheep from the flock; then he can more easily seize and destroy them. Jesus, the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11), calls all of us to follow Him. He gathers us into His arms (Is 40:11) and wants to gather all into His house (Lk 14:23).
Repent of isolating yourself from God and from His people (see Heb 10:25). Gathering reconciles and forgives. Scattering refuses to forgive and reconcile. Hell is isolation; heaven is communal.
Jesus constantly attracted large crowds who "gathered" around Him (see Mk 1:33; 2:2; 4:1; 5:21; 9:25; 10:1). Jesus, our gathering God, teaches: "Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in their midst" (Mt 18:20). Therefore, strive for that unity which comes from the Spirit (Eph 4:3ff).
| PRAYER: | Father, give me a shepherd's heart, that I may help gather many people back into Your arms. |
| PROMISE: | "He is our God; and we are the people He shepherds, the flock He guides." –Ps 95:7 |
| PRAISE: | Jose led four co-workers to Jesus. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College