Red, Yellow, Black, and White

One thing I love about our pastor is his love of internationals. Almost nothing excites him more than to worship with Christians from other countries. So, as one church closed its doors, he gladly welcomed to our church the African members, from Burundi, and the couple that ministered to them. This morning, Africans from various countries, now living in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and other parts of Michigan, visited our church to participate in singing, preaching, and interpreting what was said into other languages.

Oswald Chambers said: "The missionary of the Cross is not first a British or an American subject, but a Christian."

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could see ourselves this way? If we felt a greater alliance to our brothers and sisters in Christ than we do to our national politics? If we viewed our cultural differences with loving humour as we would a sibling's quirks; we may laugh at our differences, but will stand together for our family honour, to respect our Father's name?

In reality, we have eternal commonality with Christians of every skin tone and language, but only fleeting acquaintance with our countrymen and women who are unbelievers.

As the strange congregation gathered around Yeshua in Revelation 5 sang:

"Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation." (v 9)

That's us! What a beautiful rainbow of colours worshiping around the throne of God.

Let's focus on the big picture. Yes, it's important to take our obligations seriously as citizens of the nations God has placed us. But let's not forget, this is temporal. The souls of those saved and those who will be saved as we share the Good News are eternal.

And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13b-16)

The best investment is the one that will last forever.