Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. (KJV)

My grandparents were wonderful people, and they had thirteen children!

When I was a child, they lived within walking distance, and every day, I loved going to their house. They always found time for me and always made me feel so loved and special.

Family reunions were very important to my grandparents. Every four years, a designated place would be chosen where all the relatives would travel to and gather together to spend as much time as their busy schedules would allow.

We would all have such a grand time. There were games and prizes for the kids, and gazebos where the adults gathered to talk, laugh, share, and reminisce.

The food was wonderful, too: cookouts, Aunt Mabel's blueberry pie, Uncle Milton's salted herring (which, surprisingly, I liked), cousin Patty's strawberry-rhubarb jam, and so on.

When my grandparents passed on, the reunion tradition continued for a long time, but after ten of their children were called home to glory, the family reunions became fewer and fewer.

Sad to say, the torch is no longer carried and passed along. No longer do family members travel from different cities, states, or countries to meet together for a real family reunion.

The pilgrimages have been replaced by technology — a tweet here, an Instagram there, a blog, or a Facebook page.

However, one day at the final reunion in heaven, all of us who know Jesus Christ as Saviour will gather together once again. What a glorious day that will be!

2 Corinthians 5:8 – We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (KJV)

I was a grown woman with a family of my own when my grandmother passed. Since she loved family reunions so much, I shared this poem, as if in her words, at her homegoing celebration.

The Final Reunion

As you my dear family
Are now seated in place
I wish you could see
All the joy on my face

I am pain free, I'm happy
I'm surrounded by love
(To her family she whispers
From portals above)

Heaven is wonderful
It's a glorious place
I wish you could see it
I wish you could taste

Up here now with Jesus
I and others await
For our family reunion
Inside heaven's gate

Make sure that you know Him
Make sure you are His
Because heaven is real
And my loved ones, He lives!

What a comfort and joy is the thought of seeing our departed loved ones in Christ once again, and more importantly, getting to be forever in the presence of our Lord.

Prayer: Hallelujah, Lord! We praise You today, we thank You, and we look forward to the day when we will be with You for all eternity in heaven. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Cheryl Mariano (Cheremiah) <cherylmariano@gmail.com>
Casa Grande, Arizona, USA
Send your feedback to the author