(In case you missed it, Kate's out of town, and then Nate's family will be in town, so instead of all the blogging responsibilities falling to me, we pre-wrote some blogs to post here. The first is here, explaining the series. The other posts include 1. Sovereignty 2. Prayer 4. Contentment and Sustaining Grace)
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We have been blessed in our
lives with excellent communities. Our relationships with our families are
excellent, and our dear friends in Alabama have always been so kind to us. Even
here in Israel, the class at MSIH has been so good to us, welcoming us in and
sharing their experiences with us. We realize that this is not the same story
for everybody in the world, and thank God for these graces in our lives.
We have
always enjoyed our community of faith, the Church[i],
in whatever place we happen to be. During college, we were taught by faithful
men and women to truly love the
Church, as Christ loves her. That is not to pretend that she has no flaws, but
to be a part of local churches, engaging in their day to day lives, and
striving to labor with brothers and sisters in the work of the Kingdom of God.
This lesson was not easy for us to learn, and on leaving the church in Auburn,
we struggled to love the church wherever we were. In the difficulties we faced,
God mercifully taught us a greater appreciation for the church, laying the
foundation where that was weak, and building on it where it was strong. We have
been shown the great blessing in loving and respecting the Church that was, the
church that is, and the Church that will be.
We are not the first followers of Jesus to suffer. A
casual reading of the New Testament will show that the suffering of believers
was a common occurrence, especially in the lives of leaders in the church. In
the glorious history of our religion found in Hebrews 11, the author builds to
his climax with
“Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains
and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were
sawn in two,[a] they were killed with the
sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted,
mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not
worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the
earth.”
And then exhorts the brothers
and sisters, in view of the Church, to run their race with endurance. Looking
for the ultimate example to the founder, the cornerstone of the faith, our Lord
Jesus Christ. We, in suffering, are able to see how to suffer well, how to
endure well, in light of those who have gone before us. We look to faithful
endurance in the lives of John G. Paton, Corrie Ten Boom, Lottie Moon, Richard
Wurmbrand, and the many others who have come through this life, suffering, but
have endured faithfully until the end. Adoniram Judson, soon after the
stillbirth of his first son, wrote these words
“Such were our weaknesses that we felt we had no
portion left here below and found consolation only in looking beyond our
pilgrimage…. But if ever we commended ourselves sincerely and without reserve,
to the disposal of our heavenly father, it was on that evening.”[ii]
Amen, may we follow his example
and look beyond our pilgrimage to our eternal home.
In the midst of trial, we have learned to lean on the
means of grace the Lord has given to us in the church. Truly, we have been
blessed by those who rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep
and live in harmony with one another.[iii]
To share the burden of our grievances with our family here and see them fulfill
the law of Christ in teaching us to suffer well has blessed us beyond measure[iv].
The church has come around us so well, and in comforting, has not sought to
explain away the pain we feel, but has mourned with us. Together, we groan for
the coming of the King, the renewal of all things, and we groan together.[v]
Finally, as we have seen the example of those who have
gone before us, and have groaned with those who mourn with us, we have looked
forward to the coming of the Day, the New Creation and the hope we have. For
now, in this fallen world, we are caught in a strange shadowland. Indeed, we
have been given indescribable joy, and there are days when nothing but that
fills our hearts. Yet this world is still marred by unspeakable sorrow and that
is constantly afflicting us, if not individually, then corporately. For it is
written of the Body of Christ, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if
one member is honored, all rejoice together.”[vi]
But it is also said that our hope will not be disappointed, for as surely as we
have been sealed in Jesus[vii]
we will see the day when the Church is assembled together, and on that day, our
Savior, the great Shepherd of our Souls, will dwell with us, and He will wipe
every tear from our eye while the light of His joy banishes all sorrow from our
hearts.[viii]
Until that day, we labor on. Learning and growing from
the saints of old as we love and groan with our brothers and sisters around us.
Your Church is ready for you, Lord. Come quickly.
[i]
Note, in speaking of the universal body of believers in Christ, a capital C is
used. In speaking of a local church, lowercase is substituted.
[ii]
Bless God and Take Courage: The Judson History and Legacy, Rosalie Hall
[iii]
Romans 12:15-16a
[iv]
Galatians 6:2
[v]
Romans 8:20-25
[vi] 1
Corinthians 12:26
[vii]
Romans 5:3-11
[viii]
Revelation 21:1-4
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