If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.

"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." (I Corinthians 12:12-26)

In these verses, Paul reminds us as well as the church in Corinth that the entire church is members of one church, the body of Christ. If one member suffers and is in pain, then the rest of the body suffers as well. As head of the church, our Lord Christ will be grieved with us as well, I think. This is my prayer for our brethren in North Korea, based on the above verses.

"Father, you are merciful and long-suffering, patiently waiting for your prodigal children to return and repent. You have been waiting for many of us to realize that through the love and grace you have demonstrated by sending your Only Begotten Son to die on the cross on our behalf, you have called us to be your children and enjoy all that being your children represents. What is more, you have made us members of the church, the body of Christ. We have become members of Christ's body!

I pray for your suffering children in North Korea. These are your children, your members of the body of Christ. I believe that you ache when one of us is aching. I believe that you feel our pain, when one of us is in pain, because we are members of your body. I appeal to you for your chosen children in the desolate land of North Korea.

We have no reason why we should deserve any mercy or grace from you. All that you have given us is an undeserving gift. When we look over us, we only see our wretched selves. I ask for your forgiveness for the sin of my country and my people. We sinned when we worshipped idols, when we bowed in front of the Shinto shrines under duress of the Japanese, when we bowed to Kim Il Sung as a demigod, when we turned away from you the true God to worship what is vain and worthless. We have sinned when we used the material wealth you have given us for the pleasure of our flesh, lust of our eyes, and boasting of what we own and what we do. Forgive the sins that I and my people in South and North Korea and elsewhere have committed against you.

Though we are unworthy, I approach you with boldness because of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Look down with mercy on the suffering children of North Korea. We have suffered under the Japanese for 36 years and our brethren in the North have endured another 65 years under the Communist rule. We have suffered for a hundred years. Father, forgive our sins and extend your mercy.

At your appointed time, let the iron curtain of the DMZ fall. Let that time come soon. Let the message of redemption and freedom be proclaimed loud in North Korea. Let the church bells ring loud, calling on all your children to sing praises to your glory. Let new schools, hospitals, and churches be built. Use your servants in North Korea to spread the good news to the ends of the earth, hand in hand with your servants from the South. Use my people in the last days to fulfill your will. Oh Lord, listen to the prayer of your unworthy servant for the sake of Your Holy Name. Let it be proclaimed on the mountains of North Korea that God is love and Jesus Christ saves. Pour down your Spirit on your children in North Korea.

In the precious Name of Jesus Christ. Amen."