40 Day Journey with Our Neighbors in Solidarity
Week 2: Companion Synods in Nicaragua and Cameroon
Written By: Nathalie Fida Lassang, SD Synod Companion Synod Coordinator
Matthew 22:37-40
37 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
I recently shared with a friend that one of my goals for the year 2021 is to grow in my relationship with God. Her response was not what I had anticipated. She asked me: “Why?”. The truth is, I had not asked myself this question. However, I was thankful she brought it up because my response helped me to understand what I was asking God. Since having that conversation, each time I become lazy or lose interest in praying or studying the Word, I look back at my “Why” list and it quickly motivates me to keep going. It is important to recognize that in order to be consistent in anything, we ought to be motivated by something- the why. My purpose for sharing these devotions with you for the next 7 days is to spur you to engage with our Companion Synod Ministry. But why should you engage with this ministry, you might ask. The simplest answer I can give is based on Matthew 22:37-40. Because it is one of the greatest commandments. “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Jesus tells us. If we view our siblings in Christ in Cameroon and Nicaragua as neighbors, we will understand that we are called to love them as ourselves. However, there is a more complex answer. Perhaps a better phrasing would be to say that the answer is more specific and person dependent. Why should you, reading this, engage with the Companion Synods Ministry? I invite you to ponder on this question for the next 7 days. In your prayers for the next week, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you why you should engage in accompanying our siblings in Nicaragua and Cameroon. As the Holy Spirit helps you answer this question, a follow-up question will arise: how do I love our Companion Synod siblings? I invite you to ponder on this question as well for the next week.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, you call us to love our neighbors as ourselves. We ask that your Spirit helps us to love others, and today we pray specifically that you show us how to love our siblings in Cameroon and Nicaragua. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Today’s Practical step:
Look up Cameroon and Nicaragua on a world map. Find out something about Cameroonians and Nicaraguans you do not know. For example, what are these countries known for?
