Reunions with our friends and loved ones are memorable moments to cherish. But there's this biggest reunion of all – Jesus' second coming.
After creating Adam and Eve, God blessed the seventh day as the holy Sabbath. It served as their weekly reunion wherein to remind them of His love, power, and authority.
"And on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made" (Genesis 2:2,3).
But Satan entered the world and tempted Adam and Eve to sin. Hence, it resulted in the great controversy between good and evil. Fortunately, God's love for us made a way of escape.
This love of God is evident in the message of the first angel in Revelation 14:6. It says, "I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel." This everlasting gospel is the plan of salvation by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
It manifested through Jesus, the Son of God, Who came to earth to save humanity from sin. Doing so, He paid the price of sin and satisfied the law.
Now, He is interceding for us as our High Priest in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. With this, He longs for a personal, daily reunion with us.
As such, we must connect with God daily through Bible study and prayer. We can then understand where we've come from, why we're here, and where we're going.
Meanwhile, one of Jesus' parables gives us a glimpse of the greatest reunion. That is the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-14.
This passage goes, "A certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want."
Continuing the story, the young man found job feeding pigs. It was the worst job a Jew would have, but he grabbed it. Or else he would die. Eventually, he got so hungry that he had no choice but to eat the pigs' food only to survive.
But then, he realized something in verse 17. "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!"
Because of this, he planned to return home. Then, he would ask his father to make him one of his servants. It was because he felt he was not worthy of being his son anymore.
The father always checked the road, anticipating his son to come home finally. Similarly, God never gives up waiting on us to go to Him in daily reunion.
Then, here's the fantastic reunion in verse 20: "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion."
The father "ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." As an implication, God is always ready for a reunion with us.
With this, the father gave his son the best robe, a ring of authority, and sandals for his feet. Likewise, we need Christ's robe of righteousness every day.
Concerning this, Christ speaks to us in Revelation 3:17-20. "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door. I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me."
Continuing the story, the father initiated a huge banquet and party for his returned son. It represents the greatest reunion there will be in heaven someday — Christ's soon return. Like this prodigal son's father, God is always ready to welcome us.
In connection to this, Ellen White has a reminder for us in Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 205-206. "Do not listen to the enemy's suggestions to stay away from Christ until you have made yourself better...If you wait until then, you will never come...Arise and go to your Father. He will meet you a great way off. If you take even one step toward Him in repentance, He will hasten to enfold you in His arms of infinite love...Never a prayer is offered, however faltering, never a tear is shed, however secret, never a sincere desire after God is cherished, however feeble, but the Spirit of God goes forth to meet it."
Are you ready to meet Jesus in that greatest reunion? Have you opened the door of your heart to let Him in?