“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Ephesians 4:11-12
The world will tell you that this little girl at the Bon Barger Lutheran School in Caredeux is not important, she is too small and lives in a Third World Country; the thinking of our sinful world is wrong. She is being brought up with the knowledge that she has a Savior who loves her and has conquered death and the devil; she will learn that the Holy Spirit has much more power than the evil spirits from the vodou priest. She is being fed daily in the Trinity/HOPE school feeding program and will grow up to be a strong witness of Christ, equipped to do His service. Samuel J. Stone wrote the words to the hymn ‘The Church’s one Foundation’ in 1866 and these words seem to be a fitting way to close this devotion.
“The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord; she is His new creation by water and the Word. From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride; with His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died. Elect from every nation, yet one o'er all the earth, her charter of salvation one Lord, one faith, one birth. one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued. The Church shall never perish! Her dear Lord, to defend, to guide, sustain, and cherish, is with her to the end. Though there be those that hate her. False sons within her pale, against both foe and traitor she ever shall prevail. Though with a scornful wonder men see her sore oppressed, by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed, yet saints their watch are keeping; their cry goes up, "How long?" And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song. Mid toil and tribulation and tumult of her war she waits the consummation of peace forevermore, til with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest and the great Church victorious shall be the Church at rest.”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay