Blest Be The Tie That Binds

I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.” Hosea 11:4


When our daughter was a freshman at ACU, she had "University 100" or whatever it was called with Jon Strong. We met Jon & his parents at a session designed for parents and students. The family lives in Saudi Arabia so Jon was a long, long way from home. During that freshman year, Jon developed an infection related to Crohn's Disease and required emergency surgery. It was a week-end in Saudi and also happened to be a Muslim holiday where Muslims from all over came to the holy city, so his mom was not able to get out of the country until about a week after his surgery. When we learned he was in the hospital, we went to visit him to see if there was anything we could do for him. He had plenty of college friends who came to visit (maybe more than should have been there at times, but as Jon said, "I wouldn't have had it any other way.")but we provided an adult link for him and some reassurance for his mom until she could get here.

Jon was going to require a lengthy recuperation which did not involve going up and down steps and staying in a college dorm. I was able to make arrangements for he and his Mom to stay at Highland's Hospitality House. Our family also had the opportunity to get to visit with her and get to know her better.

It was an eye opener to learn about the lack of religious freedom they endured in this foreign country and to know that Christians are often tortured and even killed because of their faith. Freedoms we take so much for granted are not available every where in the world.

We have maintained contact with the Strongs and always enjoy seeing them when they bring Jon back to college or pick him up at year's end. They usually attend Highland on those occasions. Once we saw Melony when we were shopping at the mall. Last week, Lorin ran into them at Wal-mart. We were blessed to be able to have the whole family (minus the oldest son) come for dinner on Saturday evening. It was a true pleasure to share a meal with them. It seemed we have known them always - although we haven't really been around Michael to speak of at all. But we are bound by a bond that transcends distance and time. And gathered around the table, we are family.


Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.

We share each other’s woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.

Text: John Fawcett, 1740-1817
Music: Johann G. Nageli, 1768-1836; arr. by Lowell Mason, 1792-1872


Go to this website for the story of this great song:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/b/bbtttb.htm

08-20-2006