smackdown

Monday August 18^th, Isaiah 56: 8 the Sovereign LORD declares— he who gathers the exiles of Israel: "I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered."  Who are the others that are being gathered, and by what means are they being gathered?  Many Christians consider themselves as the others who are being gathered through Christ.  But is that the end of God’s mercy and justice and gathering in this world?  Is it not possible that others, many others, even all others, will be gathered through that same grace that gathers you into the community of Christ followers?  Is God’s grace limited by our definitions, assumptions and ego’s and our personal identity as the children of God?  Is not the Lord who declares that I will gather still others, none other than the Sovereign Lord who created all creation and called it good?  In a smackdown between the Sovereign Lord and some joker who has a bad haircut and a TV or radio show, I go for the Sovereign Lord who declares, I Will gather still others.  In the meantime, I will live as if “still others” includes all others in this creation called good.