Gathering

“How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t’ let me.”

(Matthew 23 37 – NLT)

The mothering instinct of Father’s heart is seen clearly in this verse. His longing is to protect, to shelter and to keep secure. All of these benefits and blessing are found when we are “gathered” under the shelter of His wings. The deep desire of our Father is for the gathering of His children. This is not only for our protection but also an expression of our unity as his family.

Gathering also has profound implications in relation to guidance. It is only when the shepherd has “gathered” his flock that he can begin to “lead them out” (see – John 10: 4). The importance of gathering in God’s economy is emphasised again in relation to the return of Jesus for we are told that before we meet him we will be “gathered together” (see – 2 Thessalonians 2: 1).

The tragedy of Christianity, even in what we may consider its best expressions, is that the burden of the Father’s heart in this regard, is rarely replicated in his children. More often than not a party spirit prevails and unity is based on adherence to man made rules and regulations or by virtue of the fact that one is “on the membership roll”. Until we get away from such concepts of unity there will never be true “gathering”.