Heart Connections in God’s Beautiful Family

Today we went into town and met with one of the few Christians here…we will call her Farida for the sake of security. Farida is a woman from Nigeria who accepted Jesus Christ, then became very ill and almost died. Her family told her they would help her (financially, for healing) if she converted back to Islam. She agreed, healed with time, and married a Muslim man. She is a believer in Jesus today! What a joy it was to meet with a precious sister in Christ when under such oppression! She invited us into her home – it was so dark, but I loved the way the curtain in the doorway played with the light from the sunshine.

When we were in the room with this dear sister, Aunt Clare asked if anyone was around. Farida said no. Aunt Clare grinned and exclaimed, “so we can sing!”

Oh, my heart.              

As someone who cherishes both Jesus and music dearly, I cannot imagine having to make sure no one was around before singing a song glorifying His name. It was an overwhelmingly beautiful experience – our four voices singing praises to our Savior in the dim, little room tucked away in this sensitive Islamic village. How great He is!

– August 25, 2023 (while staying with a missionary friend in an Islamic village in West Africa)

The Beauty of God’s Family

I am thankful for the “heart connections” I have around the world simply by being a part of God’s family. One of my favorite parts of being a missionary is hearing the stories of those spread all over the earth, brothers and sisters in Christ who are seeking Jesus on journeys of their own. It is precious to hear of God’s hand at work in the lives of those we may never see face-to-face in this lifetime.

I am encouraged by the knowledge and presence of the family of God. The church is a precious gift to each of us as believers. It is form of accountability and support as those striving for the same goal, this “upward call of our God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14), for the same purpose – to glorify our Father in Heaven.

Paul clearly understood this priceless treasure and the beauty of God’s family. In Philippians 1:3-8 he writes, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”

Heart Connections are Reflections of the Father’s Love

The beauty of the church is magnified by the goal we are all striving for – singing of His endless praises until the whole world hears. This is a journey that is not without hardship or trial! We will often grow weary and burdened by the weight of the world, but with this beautiful family we are not alone. We are striving together.

Even while writing this, I can think of several dear brothers and sisters in Christ with whom I am able to better understand the true meaning of compassion – to suffer with. These fellow believers are heart connections in a weary world; friends with whom I rejoice with in seasons of celebration, cry with in seasons of heartache and sorrow, and walk with in seasons of fear and confusion.  

That is the selfless love of Yahweh’s heart – a love He delights to see reflected in our lives. It is the Love that sought us in our brokenness, saved us from ourselves, and desires to see this hurting world redeemed. That is the love of God’s family.

What a beautiful picture of the church: we are reflections of the Father’s love.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

– Hebrews 10:24-25

Seeking the Heart Connections in Quiet Places

Several weeks ago, I joined my grandma at a women’s prayer meeting early one Sunday morning at our church. While listening to these women pray, I was entirely overwhelmed and in awe of their beautiful faith and love for Jesus! They talked to Him as if He was sitting right beside them and there was a certain depth and passion to their words that seemed to be birthed merely by the engagement of conversation with their Creator.

In that moment, was the world still spinning in its seemingly endless whirl of chaos and destruction? Yes. Was there still heartache and sorrow and pain because of the fall of mankind? Yes. Was sin still rampant and a dreadful chain, binding many hearts? Certainly. But in that little room, tucked away in a corner of our church building, there were six precious women pouring their hearts out to their Redeemer, seeking Jesus with open hands.

The above memory reminds me of the time I was staying with a missionary – the same one mentioned in the journal entry at the top of the article – in an Islamic village and we stopped in the middle of a small crowd of people to pray with one fellow sister in Christ. There were Muslim men, boys, and quite a few girls, around, but we were alone with our God. It was a wonderful and touching privilege to whisper that prayer, talking to Him in the middle of chaos with a sister who loved Him just as deeply.

Sometimes the heart connections are found in quiet places.

Are we looking for them?

Our Eager Expectation and Hope

As “prisoners of hope,” as Zechariah called the Israelites, we have an eager expectation and confidence in our heavenly citizenship (Philippians 3:20). We know this life is just a fading breath, a glimpse of light in the context of eternity. One of the joys in this hope is the uniting of all the children of God in one place, for one purpose – to worship and adore the King of Heaven.

I am excited by this truth; the knowledge that one day all the children of the Father of Heavenly Lights will one day stand in His presence, overwhelmed by all He has done.

Let us press on, with the joy such as Jesus had in enduring the cross (Hebrews 12:1-2), for the day when we shall all rejoice before our Savior. Let us live as ones who have such hope; burning brightly with the light of Christ as we work together in love.

And most importantly, let us strive to embrace the heart connections in God’s beautiful family…reaching ever onward and upward towards our Redeemer.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

– Colossians 3:12-17