Dear Church Family,
Have you ever heard of the Palace Beautiful?
In The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian arrives at this place after a long stretch of trials. He is warmly welcomed by Watchful and his household—Discretion, Prudence, Piety, and Charity. There, he experiences sweet Christian fellowship. He shares his joys and his heartache—especially his deep concern for his own family, who have not followed him on the journey. At the Palace Beautiful, Christian finds rest, renewal, and strength.
Before he moves on, Christian is taken to the armory. There,
he is shown legendary weapons—Moses’ staff, David’s sling and stone—and is
given armor that fits him perfectly.
The journey doesn’t end there. He soon enters the Valley of Humiliation, where he must face the ferocious Apollyon, and then walks through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Yet at every step, God’s grace sustains and guides him, all the way to the Celestial City.
I share this with you because yesterday’s worship reminded
me of the Palace Beautiful. Our gathering was full of warmth,
encouragement, and the bonds of Christian fellowship. But as we move forward,
we know challenges will come. There will be moments when we feel weary, when
our love may grow cold, or when our hearts become discouraged.
But take heart. As our Lord Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take courage—I have overcome the world.” With that hope, our hearts are refreshed and ready for the road ahead. What we shared together is just a beginning—a foretaste of the heavenly banquet that awaits us.
When the journey gets hard, let’s remember: Our Christian fellowship will never end. So be encouraged, my dear family!
Blest be the tie
that binds
our hearts in Christian love;
the fellowship of kindred minds
is like to that above.
When we asunder
part,
it gives us inward pain;
but we shall still be joined in heart,
and hope to meet again.
Pastor Victor
P.S. You can watch the service here, and read Pastor Joyce’s message here.
No comments:
Post a Comment