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"I Hold You in My Heart"

VOM South Africa

Gatherings of Christians are a preview of heaven, where we will live with each other and our Lord for all eternity. We have come to appreciate the depth, beauty and wisdom of the Apostle Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:7, where he tells other Believers, “Because I have you in my heart;”


In Scripture, the phrase “in our hearts” is used in reference to our most significant commitments, purposes and beliefs. Our most deeply held values are said to be “firmly established” in our hearts (1 Corinthians 7:37). As we seek to understand one another, we are encouraged to focus on what is “in the heart,” in contrast with worldly people who “boast about outward appearance” (2 Corinthians 5:12). The Apostle Paul explains in Romans 10:8 that “the word of faith” is “in your heart” if you are a Believer, while people who resist and reject God have gone “astray in their heart” (Hebrews 3:10).


Our primary concern is to enthrone Christ in our hearts, and as true Believers we are empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit to worship and serve God through faith in Christ. Our hearts are a dwelling — indeed a temple — of God’s Spirit. But Paul’s phrasing in Philippians 1:7 teaches us that not only God is meant to occupy this place. Christ instructs us to love other Believers so profoundly that it must aspire to match the love He has for us (John 13:34) and, astonishingly, to reflect the love that exists between members of the Trinity (John 17:11).


Our intention in the stories we share is to provide a way for you to each person in your heart. In the remainder of Philippians 1:7, Paul explains that the fellow Christians he holds in his heart are “partakers” in both his persecution and in his Gospel work. I pray that this will encourage and facilitate that kind of relationship between Believers around the world and those who suffer today. As we partake in their suffering, we will also share in the joy of their eternally significant victories.

From our CEO

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