Our unity in Christ

It was quite an international group which met yesterday at our prayer meeting at our Bishan Headquarters. We had nationals from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore all praying in English. Every Sunday when we meet at our church, we have an international group of people. The older I get the more I cherish our internationalism. The Internet connects us with friends all over the world. What a privilege! The Kingdom of God has no national boundaries.

Every Friday we hold a small group meeting at our home. It is quite an international group. Gary the American left last night for America, and to day, we have two visitors, Jim and his wife Molly Pascoe, both Kiwis visiting their sister Major Ruth Pascoe our Corps Officer, pastor. They just fitted in so beautifully into the group and participated in the discussions. We were all blessed by their presence and participation.

In Paul's letters he speaks of the believers in Christ as many and yet one, one and yet many. Many members, but one body; many bodies, but one Spirit; many believers but one spiritual community. We are to be one with each other, with Christ, and with the Father. Jesus tells us 'That they all may be one..' There is to be no exception, no option either, but the universal rule of the divine society and the law of the Kingdom of God who profess to embrace.

In Christ there is no East or West,
In Him no South or North;
But one great fellowship of love
Throughout the whole wide earth.

In Him shall true hearts everywhere
Their high communion find;
His service is the golden cord,
Close binding humankind.

Join hands, then, members of the faith,
Whatever your race may be!
Who serves my Father as His child
Is surely kin to me.

In Christ now meet both East and West,
In Him meet North and South;
All Christly souls are one in Him
Throughout the whole wide earth.

We are to be one in spite of time. I have been writing my memoirs and as I reflect on the past, I thank God for people who have made great impact and influence on my life. Where would I be today, had it not been for the saints, those missionaries who came to Singapore to minister to us. Where would I be had it not been for my mentors here in Singapore, many of them have gone to Glory.

There are many of the present, some of the past and some of the future. Not merely those who came and went, forefathers of our faith are in this unity, but the children of the faith to the last generation. I am under obligation to pass the baton on to others; they are part of this unity in Christ.

We are to be one despite space. Believers are separated by place and distance. We live in different countries, under different time zones, in different political systems. We are all part of this unity.

As I write I recall the Tennyson's poem which I learned in school more than half a century ago and it remains indelibly printed in my mind,

"Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are people better than sheep or goats
That nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friends?
For so the whole round earth is every way
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God." Lord Alfred Tennyson

Thank God for friends, local and overseas.