Family ...

I just got off the phone (well actually Skype) with a sister in Christ, R., who lives on the other side of the world. I had not talked to her since before she and her roommate left several months ago. It was great to be able to talk to her and share in the life with her, even if our conversation had to be guarded.

This conversation, and the fact that I miss them so much that I almost cried, made me think of the family of God. In theology we spend much time distinguishing between the "local" church and the "universal" church, but the more I study Scripture, the less I see this distinction as being beneficial (see discussion on membership link mentioned earlier for some food-for-thought on the matter). For me, R. is not just my sister at large (part of some esoteric "universal" church), but she is also still a member of Messiah Baptist Church. She might not be on the roll, but the impact on our spiritual family is still felt and will continue to be felt. Also, I see her work for Jesus oversees as being an extension of our family's work in Wake Forest. The link that we have through the Holy Spirit and through the time that we shared in the life (1 John 1:3) face to face is not breakable by great distances.

Finally, this conversation makes me praise God for technology which allows us to continue to share in the life, even if it is in a different way than when she was here.