Meet To Part...

            Last week, we had a meeting with a dear brother in Jerusalem. It's been months since we've been face to face with Kam Pugh, and it was refreshing. He and his family have been very formative in the life of our family, and we are constantly thanking God for their wisdom, grace and fellowship. To spend the two years in Auburn with them that we did was an immeasurable blessing. 

            Unfortunately, 3 or 4 hours is far too short a time to enjoy the company of someone you love so much. Even though Kate and I have talked about our momentary fellowship with him all week, it has been bittersweet. Sweet, because our dear friend built us up in God's grace by encouraging us in the gospel, and we cherish every moment we had with him. Bitter, because he had to leave, and his presence here reminded us that he, his family, and the myriad of faithful friends that we left in Alabama do not live here. By oceans and time zones, we are separated.

            We knew this would happen when we came. The comfort of our close friends and family would, in a very real way, be lost to us. While iMessages, Facebook, Skype and FaceTime can shorten that distance, they cannot substitute the real day-to-day, shoulder-to-shoulder fellowship that we enjoyed. In reality, we all know this about all our relationships. One day, in every life, death will separate the fellowship we enjoy with one another. Being robbed of the company we love, the brothers and sisters who have taught, served, and trained us so well, is a difficult thing for us to endure; it is difficult regardless of the manner of separation- be they death, time or circumstances.

            We always laugh when we try to say goodbye to the Pugh family. Usually we say goodbye, then move a few feet to the door, and we'll begin talking again. To get to a door fifteen feet away has been known to take us a good 2-3 hours. Our love prevents us from departing capriciously. But when we left them last July, they shared a line from a hymn with us, "Soldiers of Christ in Truth Arrayed". I looked it up later, and what follows is the verse that held the encouragement the Pughs shared with us.

"We meet to part, but part to meet

When earthly labors are complete,

To join in yet more blest employ,

In an eternal world of joy."

            Life is full of partings. All creation meets and parts. We had a taste of that when we left the States, but we know a greater parting is coming, one that no technology or medicine will be able to bridge. We will have to part from our families, our friends, and one day, from each other. But thank God, the first line doesn't end there. As believers in the resurrection of Christ, we also part to meet. Jesus met His disciples on this earth, but He knew they had to part. He went in joy and hope, which He gave to His disciples, because he knew that although they parted, they would meet. It was hard for us to leave the fellowship in Alabama, but we know, regardless of where we end up, we will meet again. 

            To live in this world is to labor. In that labor, we will have pain, trouble and sorrow, but our work in Jesus has been completed, and we will enter into the rest of our King. When we dwell in His Kingdom, we will be arm in arm with all of His beloved, partaking in more blest employ, as the joy of our hearts fills to overflowing while we praise the one who united us in Him. We, like all men, meet to part; and we, like the Son of Man, part to meet.