this is today

Ezekiel 39:28 says

Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations and then assembled them into their own land. I will leave none of them remaining among the nations anymore.

God’s plan for extending His kingdom involves two distinct phases; scatter and gather.

First, he scatters His people. The Israelites were exiled into a foreign land. The early church in Jerusalem was persecuted and scattered. But in so doing, it began to fulfil God’s heart all along, “you will be my witnesses… to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Where you are today God has put you – your family, your workplace, your school, your circle of influence. He scattered us to those places for a reason, that we know and others do too, “…that I am the LORD their God”.

Secondly, God gathers. God brings people together. Being scattered into the world has a purpose, but too does being gathered together again. When we gather as the church we are “assembled” together to be His fully operational body in the earth.

Wherever God’s people are, we are called to gather together, for worship, for fellowship, for training, for encouragement. This is the rhythm by which churches are planted and God’s kingdom on earth is extended. God scatters us to our mission field and gathers us together by His Spirit, before we do it all over again.

Go and come. Sent and return. It’s His way. Today, let’s do it with purpose!