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September HeartBeat

By DAVID Watterson

dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Hebrews 13:3( ESV) tells us,“ Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” Growing up, one of the greatest challenges I faced was that I never remembered anything. Even today, I have told many of you that if you need something from me, email, text, or call me, because if you just tell me in passing, there is no way I am going to remember it.

I think in some ways this is true for all of us. There are things that we will never forget, places, names, events, tragedies, joys, triumphs. However, in all these things, the advantage our memory has is that these moments or events have left an indelible mark, making forgetting difficult. For the

common, daily, often repeated events of our lives, it’ s sometimes tough indeed to remember. And this leads me to a second confession: I would memorize more scripture if only I would remember that I want to memorize more scripture! I must remember, to remember the things that I want to remember!

But with you, my dear friends, for our partners( and truthfully, you’ re more family than anything!), you don’ t seem to forget! You don’ t forget the hands of the man attacked in India that have been scarred and damaged from swords. His pain, his suffering, his dedication to Jesus, and the believers around him are remembered because you remember. You have never met him, and likely won’ t meet him on this side of Glory, yet you remember him.

And for Rebecca, the woman who lost so much of her family, including her husband, just before she was shot in the head and left for dead. She recovered and realized that she had lost her sight due to the gunshot. Her friends and family believed her to be dead, but having survived a harrowing and incredibly traumatic event, her greatest desire was to find the man who shot her, forgive him, and make him tea.

These persecuted believers, these brothers and sisters, you never seem to forget. You don’ t forget their sacrifice, and you don’ t forget their pain, and you don’ t forget the grace they show. And for me, that is truly humbling.

You see, every year, Run for the Son culminates on a Friday evening where truly, the ministry partners gather at the CMA National Rally, and we wait to receive“ the check.” However, if you knew the conversations that often take place between the ministry partners beforehand, it’ s not always the amount that we discuss; it’ s the impact. It’ s not the dollars, it’ s the lives and souls and communities and villages and pastors and church leaders that will never be the same because of what you, CMA, chose to do.

Growing up, my favorite song my church played during communion was from the Christian musical / drama,“ In Remembrance of Me” by Buryl Red and Regan Courtney. It’ s essentially scripture