Have you ever taken the time to think about what it means to be a Christian; to be free to love God; to be free to pray at a public restaurant; to be free to choose to put your children in Christian schools?
I have never really given it much thought, sadly, until this week. One of my best friend's from college decided to get me a journal for my birthday a couple weeks ago. She thought it best to find a christian one; one that I could write down sermon notes, prayers, and every day thoughts. She happened to go to a store in Austin and told me she literally was stopped in her tracks upon seeing a book that she had never heard of. She didn't even know what the book was about, but God told her that she needed to buy a copy and send it to me with my birthday gift. Turns out the book was just what I believe God needed me to read and share with others.
The Insanity of God, based on a true story of faith resurrected, is about a christian couple that was led to minister starting in the Horn of Africa in Somalia. They started their work in the 1980s, wanting to help the broken people of Somalia in any way that they could. Nik Ripken, the author of the book, was one of the only people who considered putting his life in danger to help out the people in Somalia; to show them the way to Jesus. Eventually his organization led many others, including President Bush, to take action and send troops to help those in need. God then called Nik and his family out of Africa, to travel to many different parts of the world to hear testimonies from people who endured harsh persecution just because of their belief in Jesus. The book tells many tales of believers in China, Russia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa that have been put in jail, beaten, and threatened to be put to death because of their love for Jesus and their Christianity.
Upon reading this book, I have witnessed over the last year some of the harsh realities most of the rest of the world faces each day. I have seen what AIDS and diseases do to families. I have seen the effects of losing parents and what that does to innocent children. I have been to villages in Africa that Ive had the privilege to pray over people who have never had anyone pray over them, let alone heard of Jesus. I have started work on a church building in a village full of people who have never heard of Jesus and never had a church to go to. I have been to villages that have no running water, cities that are covered with trash and people sniffing glue to get high to forget about how hungry they are. While I saw these devasting and heart wrenching things, I never stopped to think about how believing in Jesus Christ would be taken by the rest of their nonbeliving country, what they might have to sacrifice to turn away from their countries religion to follow God.
My eyes were opened as I read this book and heard countless stories of what these fellow brothers and sisters endured and sacrificed beause of their belief. I am in awe of the courage and strength God gave each and every one of them in their times of trouble. Jesus' call to discipleship is to come and die. Few christians take the call literally, but it's not outside the realm of possibilty given the current state of the persecuted church. I have never once thought of our church, here in America, as one that is currently persecuted.
2 Timothy 3:12 states, "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." Just as a pearl is formed from a simple grain of sand with layer upon layer of deposits until it becomes a large and lustrous thing of beauty, God has worked in many people's lives to reveal the beauty of His ways and thoughts which are different from our own. More than anything this book showed me that Jesus is alive and well, the New Testament stories that were told are not just stories of the past, people today have amazing stories and show that Jesus is walking right along side of them. I pray for the persecution of the church by praying that believers in persecution will NEVER stop loving and sharing Jesus. Faith is being lived out in the most difficult of circumstances all around the world.
God has the power to overcome all forms of darkness. If you think being a God-follower will make life safe and secure, buckle your seat belt. God shows His power and glory no matter the context, challenge, or oppostion. We all have a story. We all have gone through dark times, endured pain, been hurt by people we love, and lost those that we love. This world is a dark place that can easily put out the Light in all of us. With faith in God, and remembering how many people are persecuted because of their faith, we are able to endure unspeakable persecution and yet not lose heart.
When I read the horrifying accounts of many around the world, I couldn't help but compare my life and faith to theirs. I have never been put in jail because of my faith. I haven't had to hide out in fear of some higher authority or government offical finding out that I love Jesus. I haven't been beaten, made fun of, tormented because of my worship in church. I found myself asking, "Why God? Why have you given me the blessing of living in a country where I can honor you freely without persecution such as those in China, Africa, India, etc?" I have prayed over these questions, wondering what I can do now that my eyes have been opened to seeing that their are still so many suffering in other parts of the world because of their faith and so many people who haven't been given the chance of hearing about Jesus.
A better question and anwser to my previous questions is, "Why am I NOT persecuted?" Jesus states in 2 Timothy that all who believe in God will be persecuted. If we pray for persecution to stop, wouldn't we be putting an end to spreading the Good News? It's something to ponder. Persecution has an easy solution; deny Jesus, deny your love for God. It is as simple as that. Satan would win. Satan wants us to stay as far away from Jesus as possible. He wants to deny the world access to Jesus. His greatest desire is for the people of this planet to leave Jesus alone. If Satan cannot be successful at that, he desires to keep believers quiet, to diminish or silence our witness, and to stop us from bringing others to Christ. Friends and fellow believers, is Satan winning in your life? Are you spreading the Good News to your fellow neighbors, friends, and even enemies? Are you reaching out to those that haven't been exposed to the Light?
Another question that came to mind was, "Well why are believers in America free from such persecution as prison sentencing, beatings, and death like much of the rest of the world ?"
At the beginning of every day, we choose. We decide whether we share Jesus with others or keep Him to ourselves. Why would Satan want to wake us up here in America when he has already SHUT US UP? Why would Satan bother with us when we are already accomplishing his goal? He likely says it is better we stay asleep here in America. We as Americans know better than anybody what is going on in the world. Friends, it is not enough to simply be grateful for the blessed circumstances in which we live. It is not enough to pray for those in other countries in need who are suffering. WE MUST SHIFT OUR FOCUS. Are we really being obedient to God? He is asking, and expecting us to do our part. We do not live in a repressive place. Our biggest fear in sharing our faith might be mild embarassment or rejection, yet there are so many people around the world that have lost believing relatives because they have been put to death for their love of God. Surely mild embarassment or feeling uncomfortable can be overcome by us. We might lose a few friends, might be made fun or called a "Jesus Freak." Can we not handle that when some people are serving years in prison for sharing the Good News and living out a Godly life style?
Satan can not and will not defeat us if we stay obedient to God. By spreading the Good News to others, Satan will try to tempt us to stop. He will plant seeds of doubt and dispair. He will try to bring us down in any way that he can. Friends, I urge you to think of those that are enduring so much more, yet are still loving and professing that love they have for God for others to see. You are strong and capable of anything with Jesus by your side. Don't let Satan keep you silent. I pray you listen to God's calling on your life and share the greatest gift we have ever received with those God has surrounded you with. We are NOT OF THIS WORLD. We were made to be in relationship with Jesus. By being in relationship with Jesus, He has given us a responsibility in the Great Commission. As stated in Matthew 28, Jesus told his disciples, " GO, and make disciples of all the Nations. Teach them to obey my commands. I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Friends, I ask you to not take that statement lightly. Jesus tells us to go and spread His Good News to everybody. He didn't say, "Go if you have time." He didn't say, "Go when you are ready." He didn't say, "Make disciples to just Americans." Jesus said go to every nation, and he also tells us that He will be with us always. Invite Jesus to speak into your heart on how you can go and spread His Light to others. You have the power, because Jesus is holding your hand always.
God bless you all and have a wonderful week.
Meghann
