I sit in my warm home on my comfortable couch, tapping out a message on my computer that I will, Lord willing, give to a few dozen women at a retreat at the end of March. I sit here in comfort and ease, while thousands of miles around the world, my brothers and sisters in Christ are being kidnapped, crucified, and beheaded by ISIS terrorists simply because they are Christians.
The message I will speak, the blog posts I will write all cost me nothing–right now. I do not suffer for the sake of the gospel, at least not yet. But, I cannot get the image of those 21 men wearing orange jumpsuits on their knees in front of their ISIS murderers out of my head. I didn’t watch the video of the beheadings. I don’t want to see it. Not because I’m squeamish, but because there are some things that just do not belong in the mind’s eye. They are neither pure nor lovely, and I cannot un-see what I have seen. Therefore, I must ‘be careful little eyes what I see’.
Those men in orange, and many others like them, killed for their faith in Christ, are now part of the multitudes beneath the altar in heaven who cry out,
“How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:10) NKJV
I join them in that lament, not because my blood has been shed, but because the Spirit within me cries out for justice. Simultaneously and with great effort, that same Spirit pleads for God to tender the hearts of the men of ISIS to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is an odd placed to me; the tension between justice and grace.
Those men in orange haunt me.
Would I be faithful to Jesus should I be forced to kneel before a man with a sword ready to behead me?
Jesus, help me, I pray I would! Did the men in orange ever ponder the question of whether they would remain faithful? Were they as fearful of the possibility of denying Jesus as I am?
“How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge the blood of my brothers and sisters?” Will it be before I face persecution for my faith? (I’m not so naïve as to think that it will not come to America. It is already here in varying doses.)
I do not want to deny my Lord, yet, I truly know little of suffering for my faith. We, in America, are pretty soft when it comes to suffering for our faith.
As I ponder the question of my faithfulness, the Lord takes me back to Exodus 16. I know this passage has nothing to do with suffering, but it has to do with provision, and that is exactly what is needed in the face of persecution. God’s provision.
In Exodus 16, manna from heaven is falling like snow. The Israelites are told to gather only enough for each person, each day. Then on the sixth day, they are to gather as usual, but when they prepare it in their tents, they would have a double portion to get them through days six and seven. It was a miracle, really. The Israelites had to get out of their tents each day and go claim God’s provision for them.
When persecution comes, I need to know that God will provide what I need to remain faithful. That’s not to say, I will not hurt. Persecution hurts like crazy, I imagine. I have to believe that God’s provision of faith and courage will be stronger than the hurt. It took strength and courage for those orange jumpsuit clad men to calmly face death, but I believe God rained down fresh manna on them in those moments. My heart needs to trust that He did.
“Gather what you need for this moment, fellas. Be strong and courageous, for great is your reward in heaven.”
Heavenly Father, my heart aches for my brothers and sisters around the world who endure persecution for the sake of the gospel. Please shower them with fresh manna each day; a heaping helping of grace, strength, and courage for the days in which they live. They are our heroes of the faith. Lord, increase my faith, and help me be diligent in lifting those heroes up to you in prayer. In the precious name of the One Who suffered and died for me; the Name above all names, Jesus. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Linking up today at Grace & Truth.
Linking up with Lori Harris at Live Small, Love Big. Lori challenges me to love my neighbor, to get involved with the poor, and to share Jesus in ways I might not otherwise think of. Please visit Lori.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Currently, I am reading a book from Voice of the Martyrs entitled Hearts of Fire: Eight Women in the Underground Church and Their Stories of Costly Faith. It is challenging me to a deeper faith in Christ. Here is the link in case you are interested.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
