The Gate

   One of the things that we have to do as missionaries is give up most contact with our family and friends at home. We get to call our families on Christmas and Mother's Day and email them once a week. It's a difficult thing to do, and for some, more difficult. For me, it's been a tremendously hard thing. In the months before coming on my mission, I was closer to each member of my family than I ever have been. To leave that behind -
   It's been hard to say the least.
   And as such, I'm looking forward to the day I go home and get to see all of them. I'm looking forward with anticipation the warm, loving embraces I'll give to and receive from each one of them.
   The one I'm looking forward to the most, however, is the one I'll share with my dad. Don't get me wrong; I love every other member of my family and the friends that will be there. They each mean so much to me. However, my dad is still my hero, even at 21-years old. I wish that I could talk to him daily about my life to gain his insight. I miss laughing with him, spending time with him, eating his amazing home-made ice cream, and more. That will all come again one day, but it will have to wait awhile longer.
   This morning, I was thinking about that during my studies (I was admiring my newly-acquired picture of the prodigal son and his father). As I was thinking about that, I stumbled upon a reference to this scripture and the light bulb turned on!

41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot deceived, for the Lord God is his name.

   That has absolutely nothing to do with embraces, fathers, family, or anything which I just talked about. So, let's do an exploded view of it. Let's take it apart, shall we?

I made this myself in Windows Paint. I know, it's awesome! Click to make it bigger.
(And I just checked the preview. On my screen it still goes way too far out!)

   I hope you can read that. I didn't want to make it too big to dominate the page.
   So, the question is posed, "Why does Jesus Christ employ no servant at the Gate?" I thought about it for awhile and could come up with only one satisfactory answer:
   To wait for us. Jesus Christ wants to stand there at that gate to personally welcome us home. Not to guard it nor polish the pearly material. Not to stand with a clipboard to make sure we're on the list before entering. He could have someone else stand there to do that while He attends to a million other things.
   No, none of those things suffice. In my mind, there is no other reason for Him to be there than to await our arrival. Like the father who saw his son when he was 'yet a great way off' and ran to embrace him, like my father will be waiting for me at the airport in a few months, Jesus Christ waits for us at the Gate.
   And it is my personal conviction that He waits to run to us, embrace us, tell us that He loves us, walk with us back the the gate, and welcome us home.

   Now do you see the connection between the scripture and my thoughts?
   Well good!


   He's waiting!