One in Christ Jesus

As believers we are all part of the same Body. The Body of Christ. Do I have a clue as to how to suffer along when other members of the body suffer? Recently, a dear friend of mine sent an e-mail thanking several families for praying for and supporting them through her 14 year old son's chronic illness that is in the midst of a terrible flare up. One thing she said in that note really struck home with me, she said, "We have no choice but to fight this battle, but you have chosen to stay in it with us."

I have spent a lot of time thinking about that as we have prayed for this young man who shows so much joy in the midst of his tribulation. He smiles so sweetly at nurses who dig around in his thin arms with needles, looking for veins that have long since collapsed from overuse. He smiles and exudes the love of Jesus when these nurses come in to make him drink the bitter chalk that he must drink before tests, even when he has not eaten in 48 hours!

Last night I took my son and three friends to the hospital to visit this young man and hang out with him for a while. He is feeling better right now and he was eager to show them all the cool things he has found to do at the children's hospital. Like ride the glass elevators up and down, half of the group in one and the other half in the other, making faces at each other through the clear walls of the machine. I'm sure the hospital staff loves it when the kids begin to feel better and invite all their friends to see their new "place!"

While the kids played, I sat talking with this young man's parents; they are weary and exhausted. Physically and mentally they have had all that they feel like their bodies can take. Spiritually, however, they are strong. They are a great example of joy in the midst of pain. They know that God has not abandoned them in the hospital room, they know that He is still on the throne and in complete control, and they know that He has a plan to prosper them and not to harm them. They are resting in that.

What is really humbling to me is that they continue to express over and over that they literally feel the prayers that we are offering up for them. Not just our family, but our entire "group" of families. We do not attend the same churches, we do not live in the same neighborhoods, our common thread is home schooling our children together and striving daily to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need. Over and over, this couple insists that they feel the prayers holding them up when they know they could not go another step without them.

It has been amazing for my children to hear of how the prayers we are offering up for their friend several times a day are making a difference. Physically, the reports are steady better and emotionally the effects of the prayers are staggering. The nurses are constantly telling his family that they have never cared for a patient with a sweeter spirit than this young man. They are showing Jesus to everyone they meet in that hospital and we are privileged to be the prayer support.

Truly, we are called to suffer when the body suffers. So when my friend says, "you choose to stay in the battle" the truth is that we have no choice. We are called to stay in the battle, every time another member suffers.

1 Corinthians 12:26 "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

This is part of the honor of our calling. Staying in the battle on behalf of our brothers and sisters is a privilege and an honor, it is not a choice! It is who we are and it is the very least we can do after all that Jesus did for us.