Best Gift
Prior to heading to Iraq, I visited a church and I brought along my bulletproof vest that I would be wearing while serving alongside our troops. The response to the vest was overwhelming.
I am not sure who started it first, but someone took a magic marker and wrote a note inside my bulletproof vest. Before I knew it, countless signatures, prayers and Bible verses covered the entire vest. This reminded me that not only would the bulletproof vest cover me physically while in Iraq, but that I also had a tremendous covering of prayer by so many people who would be bringing me before the Lord while I was serving overseas.
This scenario also reminded me of the importance of Christians praying for fellow Christians. From time to time I have shared some prayer concerns of mine, seeking the support of others to hold me up before the Lord. Well now, I am inviting you to share your concerns with me. If you feel comfortable sharing your prayer concerns, send me an email at ben@row.org. I’m not asking for a novel or anything, but just jot down a few lines of what your burdens are so I can take them before the Lord.
The best gift we can give one another is the privilege of carrying each other’s burdens. We are reminded of this in Galatians 6:2:
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
I believe to carry someone’s burden encompasses showing compassion to that person, demonstrating a genuine concern for the person’s problem and above all else, it means to carry the burden and place it at the feet of Jesus on behalf of the one in need. When we do that, we fulfill the law of Christ, which is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself.
