by Justin Morton
Last Sunday was a memorable day for our Walter Hill family. Together with friends and family from years past, we celebrated the completion of our building expansion. A good number of former members joined us, and we were blessed to have 424 people present for worship. How awesome is that? After our Bible classes we shared a wonderful time of fellowship and enjoyed plenty of delicious food together. All in all, our homecoming was a joyous occasion many of us will remember for years to come.
As wonderful as last week’s homecoming was, it gives us only a small glimpse of the greater homecoming that awaits. How grand it will be to gather with brothers and sisters from every nation, tribe, people and tongue, most of whom we have never met in this life, and yet all of us will be united together by the blood of Christ. On that great day, any distance, language or background that separates us will be gone, and God’s redeemed people will worship together around His throne. What a beautiful reminder that the family of God is far larger than any one congregation, and that one day the faithful from across the world will share together in the joy of heaven. What a homecoming that will be!
The promise of that eternal gathering gives us comfort and hope as we travel along this road of life. What makes that homecoming even better than the one we just experienced is that, unlike the gatherings we enjoy here on earth, that great homecoming in heaven will never come to an end (I Thessalonians 4:17; I Peter 1:3-4).
Our homecoming together last week ended after only a few short hours together. We eventually had to say goodbye to friends and former members who have moved away. Now we are left looking forward to the next time we may see them. But thanks be to God, the gathering that awaits us in heaven will be different. It will not be limited by time, distance or even goodbyes. It will be a far greater homecoming than the one we just experienced…one that will never end. How magnificent that day will be!