"Gather"

When we made a gather,

I remember way back when,

The early morning effort,

You got the first ones then.

And while the trucks were loaded,

We’d go to round up more,

And that circle was some harder,

I’ll tell you that for shore.

And maybe then some sardines,

With a cracker and hoop cheese,

And then another circle,

For the wild ones, if you please.

And some just ‘fore the evenin’,

We’d catch a few still out,

And that’s when pasture ropin’,

Was what we were all about.

They’d fly in all directions,

And you’d bee-line after one,

And hope you’d catch him first loop,

It was really run and gun.

Tied on hard and fast we all were,

You’d wrap around a tree,

Get him snubbed off if you could,

Then go chase another, see.

Then with lights on in the pick-up,

You’d creep along and stop,

At all the trees that held a steer,

Back at the pens to drop.

Like the wild ones we once herded,

I ran, tried to escape,

From the Lord above who loved me,

Didn’t understand His grace.

But He chased me, never faltered,

Roped and snubbed me off you see,

Forgave and really healed me,

Gave eternal life to me.

Fast forward to this gather,

Where the ropes are made of love,

And everyone’s who got here,

Was brought by God above.

God’s people and His preachers,

All here to sing His praise,

Get some solid teaching,

And high His banner raise.

So cowboy up, my brother,

And, sister, lift Him high,

One day we'll ride together,

When we gather in the sky.

“And let us not neglect our meeting together…” (Hebrews 10:25, NLT)

It can be inconvenient to meet together in person. With online media our options for connecting with people have multiplied exponentially. But nothing beats being in the same room together to worship, pray and build up the body of Christ. I know, Covid has affected this, and I would never trivialize health concerns. That said, at some point we have to ask ourselves what fellowship with other believers is really worth to us. Every time we meet we are having heaven rehearsal. The early church risked everything, even their lives, to meet. We must use wisdom of course, but what has happened to our faith that God will protect, heal and keep us healthy? Bottom line, we need each other. We should be praying for ways to stay connected, not stay away. It’s something to think about.

Lord, help us never neglect meeting together, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Shawn Cameron, shawncameron.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Shawn, and God bless you.