Disbursed

Isaiah11:10-11
In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples - of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.

Devotional
Being disbursed is a familiar feeling now. We're been spread out, quarantined, socially distanced, and we can't gather together.

Hundreds of years before Christ, God's people, the Jews were disbursed into the surrounding nations. Some lived in exile in Assyria, some in Egypt, some elsewhere. They were spread out and kept from gathering together.

Since Christ too, God's people are spread out to all the corners of the globe. Our citizenship is in the kingdom of God, but we live in all the countries of the earth.

But God promises that, as he extended his hand to bring the Jews back to the promised land 450 years before Christ, he "will extend his hand yet a second time" to gather his people forever. The "root of Jesse" - the new king in David's line - will be a beacon to everyone, and where he dwells, God's people will experience God's glory.

This is none other than Christ. God gathered us together once, and though we must practice social distancing now, God will gather us together once again.

Prayer
Lord, we are disbursed. Extend your hand to recover us, to gather us together. Amen.