Mount Up With Wings
So, here we are, once again, now standing on the precipice of a new year, having crossed the threshold of 2017. As The Voice of the Martyrs Canada enters its 46th year of service to our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are in peril for Jesus, I am reminded that “we’ve been here at this juncture before.” And as in previous years, God has continued to bring an increased harvest, enabling us to meet the growing challenges He has called us to face. In that regard, we are so blessed by you, our beloved supporters, to increasingly serve those whom we love in Christ’s name on your behalf.
Sometimes, in our humanness we may temporarily succumb to doubts and fears of having failed to have done more for God’s afflicted children who still stand on the battle lines of the faith in the over 30 countries where VOMC faithfully serves. But He is always faithful and purposeful in His calling and equipping of His mission through VOMC.
In years gone by, 2016 being no exception, we have always been witness to the expression of, and reliance upon, God’s faithfulness in imbuing His remarkable gift of courage and sheer joy to those in peril during times of duress. His presence and sovereignty, which have been evident in our ministry every year since its establishment, is a light unto our feet and an encouragement to boldly carry on. We, like those whom we serve, must always remember that Jesus taught us – by way of His lasting words in Scripture and His witness in our hearts – that on this temporal plane in which we physically exist, things may not necessarily get better with the passing of time (and some might consider such to be an understatement). Yet, we can be assured that our victories in Christ will burn increasingly brighter by contrast.
God’s promise to always journey with us through the challenges of life and the darkness of persecution against His followers ring true even in these early days of another new year. I was considering this during my devotional time the other day when two key words jumped off the precious page of the Bible I was reading… “weariness” and “wings.” It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to assess that the entire world, on every societal and physical strata, is under unrivalled stress, which is manifesting itself in terrifying waves of aggression at the heart of an escalating spiritual war the likes of which, it may be surmised, the world has never seen.
“[The Lord] gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
It occurred to me that the faithful prayers of our besieged and beloved brothers and sisters in the faith, which are mysteriously directed towards us and for our benefit (contrary to what we might otherwise assume), may be particularly powerful in helping the Canadian church to be transformed such that it can stand strong against the darkness and depression of this age. Could it be said that we, as if one with those in peril for Christ, are not only offering our love and encouragement to the “persecuted,” but are reciprocally drawing upon their witness and refined faith so that we might be victors by His might in what is shaping up to be the final battle for all of humanity?
Isn’t it just like our loving Lord to not only restore us in such times of weariness to our normal operating mode and capacity, but to also enable us to rise up on wings like eagles to a heightened state of readiness? It’s as if He implants a nuclear power source within us, making it possible to immeasurably and unreservedly access His Kingdom authority and power over all that is and ever will be.
May you and your household know the peace and power of Christ, and may He empower you to do even greater things in your love and prayerful support of those who are persecuted for His sake, and yet are being equipped and enabled, through Christ, to do what is exceedingly beyond our imagination.
“…let us not grow weary while doing good,
for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
From our wonderful team at VOMC, I bring you love, good tidings and great joy for all of humankind throughout 2017 and beyond.
- Doug
