But we were able to hang on in order to share the Bible study that evening online, which meant that we stayed up at least until 8 pm, making it almost a normal day. More importantly, we were able to share thoughts about some of the Psalms, which is what we have been studying on Wednesdays. This time it was Psalm 42 and 43, a song of the sons of Korah. Looking back on this weekend, this Psalm was a great preparation.
On Saturday as many from the congregation in Maastricht as could went down to camp for a day together. We spent the morning looking at the ‘Bible that Jesus Read’ and then shared lunch together with some from the church in Liége and some young folks from Harding University (who also speak French). We sang together in Dutch, English and French. We stood and talked in various languages about many meaningful things, and we shared a walk up to the ‘Love Tree’.
What hit me was how good it is to have any language to talk about God and His goodness. We had people speaking in French, English, Dutch and Russian. Our conversations were about how God has blessed us in the last time, about how we can reach out to those around us with this wonderful message of true life and eternal life.
When we made it up to the ‘Love Tree’, it became clear that the idea of ‘love’ can be varied. The ‘Love Tree’ is a tree at the top of the mountain into which young people have carved their names (the tree behind the group in the picture). You know the sort of thing: M+C surrounded by a heart, perhaps with an arrow through it. I personally know that several of the initials are the same person, changing partners year after year. Is this love?
The next day we were finally able to be back together with the family of believers in Maastricht to worship the King of kings, our gracious Father in heaven. We were reminded how good and important it is to remember that only in Christ do we have salvation. How important it is to remember that we can only be with Him if we listen to Him, disregarding all other sounds around us.
These are words of love. God wants us to come to Him and He has made it possible for us to be with Him eternally - if we obey Him. If we try to do it on our own - like Korah in his rebellion - then we meet death and disappointment. But, just like the sons of Korah, we can be different and put our hope and trust completely in doing what God says, as He says it.
Our songs on Saturday and Sunday, our conversations on both days (again in various languages), reminded us once again that it is GOOD to be in Him, no matter where we come from. But that we want to be IN HIM. If I am not telling someone how important it is and how good it is to be In Christ - perhaps because I am afraid that it might come across as not loving - then I have not understood love.
The language of love is not transient, like the wounds made on that tree. The language of love is eternal and is willing to speak truth that is sometimes hard to hear - in any language.
Have you thought about your identity? Are you in Christ? That is the only identity that matters and is only according to HIS will, not mine. We are thankful for those who spoke to us in love so that we could find grace and joy in Jesus. And we pray that we, along with those we work with, will continue to speak in love in every language we use.
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