Sarah was in my church in Edinburgh back in the late 1980s-1990s when we were all young 20 somethings and life was footloose and fancy free. We were both in the worship team and , together with a couple of other girls, formed an acapella quartet called Gracenote. We had a massive amount of fun doing that but Sarah got married and then left to go and live in the States and life moved on and we lost touch. Her parents and brother also attended the Edinburgh church so news of her filtered through from time to time, but then I got married and left Edinburgh too and I lost touch with most of the Edinburgh crowd.
But then Facebook happened. And reconnections began. Nowadays it doesnt matter if someone is in the USA or in the next street, thanks to technology we can see them and hear them and follow their stories. So Sarah and I became Facebook friends, and both of us reconnected with many of the old crowd from Edinburgh church days and have kept in touch via the internet ever since. But over the course of the last 20 years Sarah and I have not met. Until yesterday
Yesterday was her 50th birthday and she had flown in to be with her parents and brother for her special celebration. Unbeknowns to her, brother Adam had organised a surprise party and had, through Facebook, invited as many of the Edinburgh gang as he could get hold of to be at a house in Basingstoke on Saturday evening at 6pm. The weather sadly prevented quite a few who had wanted to be there from attending. However a good crowd of us did make it. Most of us hadnt seen each other for almost 20 years. It felt like coming home.
Apart from a few extra pounds ( on me) and a few grey hairs ( or in Adams case no hairs at all !) nobody had really changed a bit. It was so brilliant to meet up with couples who mentored and led me all those years ago - and those who had laughed and cried and prayed and sung and waved flags and done mission trips. It was as though it had all been last week. The intervening years dissolved and we were picking up where we left off.
Except of course we weren't. Because in actual fact none of us really know much about each others lives any more. We were all explaining what jobs we do and where we live and how old our kids are now etc etc We no longer know the details of each others daily lives like we once used to. But we still KNOW each other. We still know who we are and what we mean to each other. We still have a huge amount of shared history and experience together - stories to tell, memories to share. The details of daily living are unimportant compared with the depth of history and having shared a foundational part of all our lives together,
Heaven, I suspect, is going to be alot like that. It will be like the best of all possible reunions with people who have gone before us and have been waiting for our arrival. There will be instant recognition and deep love and fellowship. But better than all that will be a reunion with Jesus. Our best friend and saviour. Our companion and helper. Our teacher and guide. He has shared every experience and memory with us and when we finally meet Him face to face we shall know Him as He knows us. It will be recognition and understanding and completion. A homecoming. The relief of being loved, accepted and belonging.
We are all invited to a party and the tickets have been bought and paid for. The banquet is laid out ready and waiting - the music is playing and the Host is waiting for us to turn up. I've already said I'm going, and I do hope you will be there too. If I don't see you before - see you on the other side! :)
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