One of the great privileges I’ve had since getting involved with VOM is meeting with my brothers and sisters in Christ as I’ve travelled to countries hostile to the gospel and as I’ve spoken in churches across Canada.
While I knew what the Bible said about Christ’s followers being a part of the family of God, my journeys over the past dozen years have burned that truth deep into my heart. God is our Father and, as a result, His children are our brothers and sisters and we are commanded to love each other (1 John 4:21).
Often we refer to those who are suffering for the cause of Christ as the “persecuted Church,” but by doing that we sometimes unintentionally make a separation or distinction between those who live in countries like Canada and those who live in restricted nations. Regardless of what opposition for our faith we are going through, whether minor or severe, we are one Family and part of one Body, the Church. 1 Corinthians 12:26 tells us that when one part of the Body suffers, we all suffer.
One of the things I love most about being a father is seeing my children doing nice things for each other, especially if one of them is hurting. It brings me great joy! I believe our Heavenly Father feels the same way when we love our Christian family, and when we stand with our brothers and sisters in their time of need and pain.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the privilege of being Your adopted sons and daughters. Help us, we pray, to have unity with our brothers and sisters as one Family and to remember and care for each other. Teach us how to love one another and equip us, we pray, to suffer and rejoice together. Amen.
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