Torn

"After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos." Acts 21:19

Luke used the word "we" here because he is with Paul as he says farewell to the Ephesians. Luke shares Paul’s sentiments, so much so that he says in strong words, “after we had TORN ourselves away from them”…There is a closeness and a union that believers have that is very special. I believe it is unique to Christian brothers and sisters in Christ all joined together spiritually, by His blood. We rejoice and we suffer—as one. When someone halfway around the world is persecuted for their faith…it is personal. When Christians are martyred it is about His blood, the same blood that saved me. I am closer to people I don’t even know because of it. When we travel, we make new friends and because of Christ there is instant bonding. We are quickly family and when reunited we pick up where we left off. As the old song goes, “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord, we are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord, and we know that all unity will one day be restored and they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” These words resonate with me and like Paul and Luke I share the deepest connections with other believers and feel it when we are torn apart by time, space, circumstance, sin or persecution.

One with you and all who know Him,
Pastor Fred

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