The headline in Newsweek magazine called it “the ultimate reunion”. A reunion of war veterans? A banquet in honor of our country’s living ex-presidents? No, it was nothing of the kind – just a rumor that the surviving members of the popular music group the Beatles and Yoko Ono, widow of deceased Beatle John Lennon, were “thinking of doing something together again.”
I recall the drug abuse and decayed morals of the cultural revolution the Beatles were part of, and I found little excitement in such a reunion. But there is another reunion that grabs my attention, and I doubt if Newsweek will give it much attention.
I’m referring to the ultimate reunion when Jesus returns to gather the whole family of God together. Dead believers will be raised first (1 Thessalonians 4:16), then, along with believers living everywhere on earth, we will all be united with our Lord to enjoy forever the splendor of His presence (v. 17).
Now,
Tags: reunion, second coming, The Beatles
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week Anita and I, along with the other staff pastors and spouses, are attending the Annual Convention of CMI. This year it will be held in Fort Wayne and we are looking forward to reconnecting with the other pastors and wives, many of whom we have known for many years. We have helped many of them through tough times, so it will be good to catch up on people.
I am also expecting to hear a word from God from one of our speakers. CMI is a Fellowship of Churches, not a denomination, so each local church has the freedom to pursue ministry in its own style. Therefore, we get to learn from each other when we reconnect. This year I am most interested in hearing from Pastor Dennis Slavens, who pastors Antioch Family Worship Center in Overland Park, Kansas. He is also a leader in a sister Fellowship of Churches called WME. I’ve met him a couple of times but never heard him speak.
When we come together like this, its like a reunion of sorts. We’ve watched each other’s children grow up, and prayed for each other in troubled times. What reunion or gathering do you most look forward to each year? Why?
Tags: reunion
Monday was a family reunion day at our house. We met with our kids for lunch at Red Robin restaurant, then went to Picture People for a family photo with the grand-kids. After giving them a ride on the carousel, we drove back to our house and fixed a bonfire in the fire-pit. When it was dark enough, Lauren chased lightning bugs (she says they don’t have as many in Tennessee), and Reuben went in to play with his toy cars again. Anita and I are worn out with all the excitement, but they’re all back home now.
Can you imagine what it will be like when we all get to heaven and get to experience the real Reunion? I’d like to ask my ancestors some questions about the family tree, and I’d really like to know what happened to some of my childhood friends and Army buddies.
However, I think we’ll be so caught up in being with Jesus that those other questions will just vanish away. Are you having a family reunion this summer? What are you most looking forward to about it?
Tags: family, heaven, reunion