Psalms 147:2 says, “Yahweh builds up Jerusalem; he gathers up the outcasts and brings them home.” (TPT)
From whatever city God’s chosen ones had escaped to or had been dragged to in exile, they came back. Because of their sin, they had been cast out. Because of His faithfulness, He gathered them back. After 70 years of being exiled from their beloved city of Jerusalem, the children of Israel came back. He promised to bring them back, and He did. The city was in shambles, and had been destroyed and occupied by enemies.
God keeps all His promises. He brought Israel back to Jerusalem and God promised a Messiah and sent Jesus. God promised that all nations would be blessed through Abraham’s line, and today all nations have sons and daughters of God within them.
All outcasts are gathered into His family through Jesus Christ.
No matter how far from God someone you love is today – God is the gatherer of outcasts. Maybe they are lost in their sin and exiled from the life of the beloved. Maybe their life is in shambles and their heart has been destroyed and occupied by sin. Don’t give up. God loves them, Jesus died for them and our Great Father is the gatherer of outcasts. God’s unstoppable love pursues those who are lost, cast out and in exile.
Don’t give up on them.
God hasn’t.