Brothers and Sisters
Last year was my husband’s and my fifteenth anniversary. To celebrate, we enjoyed a rare trip away from home, to the beautiful hills of North Carolina. The first day we spent in Charlotte, helping out at the Samaritan’s Purse warehouse. Because of covid, Christmas of 2020 saw a huge increase of Operation Christmas Child shoebox donations built online (as opposed to people donating physical boxes). The warehouse was set up for volunteers to pack shoeboxes according to each donor’s specifications.
Besides
the obvious enjoyment of preparing boxes for children in restricted access
countries, and the excitement of being involved in a hands-on way in reaching
people with the gospel of Jesus Christ, there was also an unexpected take-away
from the day for me. Bill and I were able to work side by side with Christians
we had never met before, people who were there because they love Jesus just
like we do, and want to make a difference for Him. One lady was from a small
church in North Carolina a few hours away. Her ladies’ group had been
volunteering for a couple days at the warehouse. She is also a seamstress, and sews
items for Samaritan’s Purse to give away in third world countries. Her mom lives
in Oklahoma, and does the same thing. Seeing the dedication of other believers
whom I previously didn’t know even existed reminded me that, although our
country as a whole has walked away from God, there are still pockets of people
scattered across our land who truly love Him and live for Him. He will always
have a remnant of the faithful, and He knows who they are.
Only
eternity could be long enough to get to know all of our brothers and sisters in
Christ – people from all times, places, and walks of life
who heard the still, small voice of God, and rose up to follow Him. Until then,
it is enough to know that our shared kinship in Christ unites us across all
obstacles and challenges. Praise God!
Brothers and Sisters
I Kings 19:18 – “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all
whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Elijah was talking to
God one day
When evil over his land
held sway.
“I, I alone, am left,”
he did pray,
“And they seek my life
to take it away.”
The Lord replied with
jobs for him to do,
Then revealed a fact
that only He knew:
“Yet I have reserved
seven thousand who
Haven’t bowed or kissed
Baal;” He wasn’t through.
Those seven thousand,
less than one percent,
Wouldn’t give in no
matter how culture went.
Belief in Yahweh they
did not relent;
His one sentence
applauded lives well spent.
And the eyes of the Lord
still run to and fro
Throughout the whole
earth, His strength to show
In behalf of those who truly
yearn to Him know.*
In the night He sees
their faith’s steady glow.
Today once again, sin
seems to be winning,
But yet there are some
who like you are standing
For Jesus, His Word, and
His way of living;
All steadfast allegiance
our God is counting.
Pockets of people scattered
here and there,
Brothers and sisters who
for holiness care;
Though we know not our
number, His name we share.
Rise up then encouraged
to meet the world’s dare!
* 2 Chronicles 16:9