On the morning of November 8, the Amity Foundation (Amity) held its 30th anniversary celebration in the Holy Word Church, Nanjing. Part of the Amity co-workers, amity cooperation institutions at mainland and abroad, and representatives of the project area, with some believers of the church, offered their thanksgiving to God.
"Love is all joined together, it is a glory of God. Love is glorifying of His name. Love is loving your neighbor as yourself. Love is patient, it never fails." With praise, Amity Foundation gave thanks for God's leading in the past and for peace in future.
Pastor Cao Shengjie, the former President of national China Christian Council (CCC), preached a sermon in the worship service, quoting the scriptures of 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. The establishment of the Amity Foundation, she says, is to reveal love in society and it asks us to put down everything in good consideration, including faith requirement or other people's praise.
All people desire to be loved, to enjoy the sweetness of love, however, in today's world, people's hearts are often full of utilitarian thinking. They ask what good will it do for me, so sincere love is very difficult to have. The Bible tells us that God is love and that He is the source of love. The New Testament in Greek uses "agape" to distinguish God's love from a person's love. The biggest characteristic is that God, when we were still sinners, gave up His only Son to die on the cross to save us. This love is the love sacrifice and is not self-seeking.
We all thought we were saved by faith but it is easy to forget that He first loved us that we can become His children, attracted by His love. He also asked us to not only believe in Him but to also live with love like Him.
The "Song of Love" is well-known among Christians but real life is far away when the Bible speaks of love. Some people only pursue "spiritual experience" of the individual but if there is no love, this pursuit becomes a hollow noise. Though someone may sacrifice something, without the right motivation or it is not based on love, it is not acceptable to God.
So, how can we love? Romans 5:5 says, "For the love of God, has given us by the Holy Spirit, shed abroad in our hearts." When we accept Christ, the love of god has been planted into our hearts. Are we going to conquer the desires of all only for personal benefits?
So we pray to God, in His holy love, to motivate us. Christ has died for us and so we must make up our minds to live for Him, to reveal the glory of God.
Singapore Anglican Archbishop of Glory, Hugh Zhou Xian, said this prayer of blessing: "Lord, we thank you for Amity's loyalty and dedication. Though there are more challenges in the future and more work needed to done by Amity, not just in China, but also in different corners of the world, help us to be the salt and light to reflect to the faith and love of God."
Translated By: Lily Ding
