The Gathering of God’s people pictures the beauty of God’s creation.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

What intrigues me about this picture is the fact that these leaves, presumably from many of the trees nourished by this lake, are gathered into one spot. As a result of the wind and other factors, these leaves washed up here. I wish the leaves in my yard would do the same thing. 

Chalk Lake, Colorado

As the wind pushed these leaves together, so the Holy Spirit blows on the Christian community bringing them to stand under the cross of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit gathers the church. He gathers the church together in worship, at coffee shops, in homes and other places. Wherever Christians gather, it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing us together.

The fact remains: The Holy Spirit gathers the church.

“For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.” Ephesians 4:4 New Living Translation

One…one…one… The Spirit of God works unity in the body of Christ not division. This unity is rooted in the one, sacrificial death of Christ. As a result we need each other. We need to gather in worship, at coffee shops and in homes.

We need to gather because that is what Christians do through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I would not have snapped this picture had not these leaves gathered into one place.  The gathering of these leaves creates the picture. The gathering of Christians creates a picture of God’s beauty at work in the world.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner