By Pastor Jeff Jacobs
Unity Lutheran Parish – St. Paul, Saetersdal and St. Matthew’s, Granger
This July, 25 youth and adults from St. Paul Lutheran-Lime Springs went on a week’s mission trip to Costa Rica. At the end of August, they shared pictures and stories of what they experienced together.
A recurring theme was their delight in making connections with the people there, even when language was a challenge. Translators accompanied them and a few in our group knew Spanish, yet they found other ways to communicate as well. One adult described a particular memory:
“There were multiple groups of adults talking to members of the host church, there were kids playing games with kids from the church, playing dominoes with the ladies that made our meal, teaching others how to make friendship bracelets and more. The only phones that were out were being used to help translate. It felt like the merging of two extended families in a truly special moment.”
Such merging echoes John’s vision of heaven in Revelation 7:9-10: “(T)here was a great multitude that no could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”
In a world with people too often divided and antagonistic because of ethnicity, language, color or culture, God’s heavenly kingdom reveals all peoples, despite these differences, united in thanksgiving and praise.
God’s earthly kingdom is called to reflect that harmony now. In Christ, God “has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us …that he might create in himself one new humanity …” (Eph. 2:14-15) May Christ’s Spirit empower us to break down walls and make such holy connections across our towns, our nation and our world.
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