"He is Faithful that Promised."
"I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am,
there ye may be also."--JOHN xiv. 3.
A Glorious Reunion.
If the meeting of a long absent friend, or brother, on earth, be a
joyous event, what, my soul, must be the joy of thy union with this
Brother of brothers, this Friend of friends! "I will come again!" Oh!
what an errand of love, what a promised honour and dignity is this!--His
saints to share, not His Heaven only, but His immediate presence. "Where
_I am, there ye_ shall be also!" "Father, I _will_ (it was His dying
wish,--a wondrous codicil in that testamentary prayer) that those whom
Thou hast given me be with me where _I am_." Happy reunion! Blessed
Saviour, if Thy presence be so sweet on a sin-stricken earth, and when
known only by the invisible eye of faith, what must be that presence in
a sinless Heaven, unfolded in all its unutterable loveliness and glory!
Happy reunion! it will be a meeting of the whole ransomed family--the
Head with all its members--the Vine with all its branches--the Shepherd
with all His flock--the Elder Brother with all His kinsmen. Oh, the joy,
too, of mutual recognition among the death-divided--ties snapt asunder
on earth, indissolubly renewed--severed friendships reunited--the
triumph of love complete--love binding brother with brother, and friend
with friend, and _all_ to the Elder Brother! My soul! what thinkest thou
of this Heaven? Remember who it is that Jesus says shall sit with Him
upon His throne,--"Him that overcometh."
"REMEMBER _THIS_ WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"