It's Spring Break! I hope that you all are getting some quality rest in our Savior this break. After a hard move, I know we all need a good rest. I just wanted to take this time to share with you all what the Lord is teaching me this break. I have been reading through Philippians this break and I stumbled upon this verse, "For God is my witness, How greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ." A first the phrase "affection of Jesus Christ" caught my eye, it appeared to me to be quite an different way to describe how one feels. I mean, I don't regularly hear girls using that exact phrasing, normally it's just "I love you". So I looked up "affection" in my huge 20lbs [not really] MacArthur study bible. It said, that the word refers to the internal organs [ewww], which are the part of the body that reacts to intense emotion. It became the strongest Greek word to express compassionate love- a love that involves one's entire being. So we're not just talking about love, but the intense, I love you with all my being kind of love. I've experiencing this love though my Savior, but what really struck me was that this isn't Jesus tell the church of Philipi that he loves them, but rather Paul expressing his love. We as Christian, receive and above all give this love. I have experience this "affection" most vividly from my sister's in ADX. Everyday and every meeting, I witness this affection for other sisters, for greek ministry, for coworkers, and for those who God has given us to shepard. Thank you for this. I long for you girls with the affection of Christ. I hope to see you all soon.
Love,
Bemba 132D
