We are so blessed to be in a place where so many countries come together. Geographically we are at the nexus of three countries and four language groups (the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium with Flemish and French speakers). We look forward to any time we get to gather with brothers and sisters from around the area. This builds us up and encourages the whole church.
At the end of September we held our annual Family Day down at camp. Ardennen Bijbel Kamp is situated in the hills of the Ardennes where not too long ago soldiers died to defend democracy and justice. These days we gather as members of the church to encourage one another in living for truth and justice every day in the Lord. The congregation in Maastricht organized the day this year and it was great to be together with French-speakers as well as Dutch- and Flemish-speakers for the day.
In October we spent time with our French-speaking brothers on our first Friday singing. Then, the very next day, we gathered in Cologne, Germany, with brothers and sisters from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany for a day of fellowship and singing. How good is it to get to know and be encouraged by the family of God from all around us. We love using every opportunity to get together.
Later in the month we got together again, this time in a more sportive atmosphere. The COPA Benelux is organized every year by members from the church in Ghent and is for all church members in the Benelux. This year I got to play on a team with members of the church from The Hague, Haarlem, Sint Niklaas (Belgium) and Maastricht. But we were also a mixture of Russians, Ukrainians, Dutch and American-Belgians.
God has an amazing view on who we are and what we should and can be. We are made in His image, made to give, to share, to be together because we are created by Him. People are people, no matter where we are from or live. We are all able to become children of the King, no matter what we have done in the past. And then, suddenly, we are family. That is exciting news! Look around at the family God has in your neighborhood, at the family He has placed you in where you are. Be encouraged and be an encouragement.
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21
