Yesterday was the International Day of Prayer For The Persecuted Church. Instead of freedom from persecution, millions of Christians are asking to remain faithful.
I arrived at church feeling rather tired from a tough week.
Our family has been battling a barrage of colds, and I was feeling under the weather.
As I settled into the Sunday service, singing songs of praise, I prayed, “Thank you, God, for this awesome time to pray and worship.”
Time to stop and gather with other believers is something I look forward to every week. It’s like a reset button. I leave church lighter and more refreshed than when I arrive.
Not so for other Christians around the world.
Oversaturated
I have to admit, I’m usually in an oversaturated condition listening to suffering that happens around the world. Many times, I’m walled off by the blinders of my own challenges.
As I sat there quietly asking God to bring me physical relief, a video announcement for the millions of persecuted Christians suffering around the world flashed onto the screen:
Colombia: Pastor Manuel was shot and killed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrillas in San Jose del Guaviare, Colombia. 9/21/09.
“Make sure that dog stays dead,” referring to the pastor, as they shot him 5 times, in front of his wife, son and daughter.
With the help of her children, his wife dragged his body under a tree. His 10 year old son said, “Mum, don’t worry, dad died for Christ and now he is with Christ.”
Indonesia: Police evict 1,000 Bible students after cutting off water and electricity. 10/27/09.
Iran: Church Closed. The largest public and formal gathering of Iranian Christians in Iran was forced to close by the Iranian Ministry of Information. 10/30/09.
China: Student Expelled. A high school student was expelled after refusing to denounce his Christian faith. 10/30/09.
… The stories of persecution go on…
What did my dear brothers and sisters ask for?
The Most I Can Do
Todd Nettleton, Director of Media Development for The Voice of the Martyrs, tells us,
“Our persecuted family is not asking us to pray that the persecution will stop.
They’re asking us to pray they will remain faithful to Christ in spite of the persecution and pressure they face.”
The phrase “persecuted family” grabbed me.
I felt frustrated, tied up by the demands of the daily grind, but my Christian brothers and sisters were being handcuffed.
I was sleep deprived, trying to fit too much in a day, while pastors are being killed, leaving my sisters widowed and children without fathers.
Overwhelmed, I initially thought, What can someone like me do?
The least I can do — is the most I can do: pray.
Money cannot help. Circumstances cannot be escaped. They have counted the cost.
“Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
Hebrews 13:3
If I were in their shoes, what would I be praying right now?
The answer came, outlined in 14 Days of Prayer, a pamphlet that Voice of the Matyrs outlined suggesting prayers for individuals, one day at a time.
I left Sunday service, committed to pray for the next fourteen days.
Praying for them inspires me to shift my focus from obsessing over my circumstance to pursuing what counts: staying faithful.
If you feel led, join me in 14 Days of Prayer.
Start Praying Today.
10 Comments
wow….this left a pit in my stomach, Bonnie.
It reminds me of a couple of the few books I ever got through reading from cover to cover (I have issues with ADD/retention that makes reading frustrating to the point where I usually only get through a chapter or two)….I read the Jesus Freak series by DCTalk. A collection of short stories of people/martyrs who died and/or were tortured for their belief in Jesus Christ.
It is hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that this is still happening every.day.in.this.world.
It leaves me overwhelmed.
As important and elemental as prayer is, there is more you can do and you do it here: bringing attention to the community of those who suffer, a community of which most of us would otherwise be unaware. In awareness is knowledge and power to work for change.
Amazing post, Bonnie. We are so blessed to be able to worship freely without persecution. I love that they ask for prayer to remain faithful in the face of persecution rather than praying for the freedom from persecution. I am moved by this post today. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Great post, Bonnie. I’m so glad you shared this with us. It is too easy to get wrapped up in our own set of circumstances and then we forget those who are truly suffering and persecuted.
Thank you for the reminder and the info.
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VOM also has rubber bracelets / bands available as prayer reminders, with the acronym BASIC – “Brothers And Sisters In Chains.” I invite others to join this portion of what I regularly pray for them.
For those watering the Seed of the Word with their lives and blood; for my brothers and sisters who I will meet in Heaven before Your throne, who are suffering torture, reproach, imprisonment, persecution; who are being put to death for their testimony to Your Name and Word and the Blood: In Your love and mercy, please grant to them strength, encouragement, comfort, discernment, mercy, protection, patient longsuffering.
Please grant them boldness for the sake of Your Gospel and the glory of Your name. Please provide them an irrefutable testimony of unimpeachable truth.
Please enable me to lay down the life of self each day.
I love open doors/voice of the martyrs. During Ramadan they have a 30 day prayer list with all the Muslim countries fasting during ramadan. This year I participated, specially working in that area and surrounding by Muslims from all the various countries. This is also a great reminder to pray!!!
@Michelle: I haven’t read the Jesus Freak series. Thanks for that pointer, Michelle. I was overwhelmed, but it has felt good to pray as an outlet. The only thing that can make a difference for them.
@Mo: “Awareness is knowledge and power to work for change.” Thank you, Mo!
@Chrystie: I felt blessed too hearing their plight. And I was moved and inspired as well.
@Bridget: That’s exactly what this post did for me: a reminder to get unwrapped.
@Anne: Thanks for sharing a prayer we can all join in.
@Maureen: Yeah, another prayer warrior! No wonder God has placed in you such a strategic location, Maureen!
This is a touching experience that we need to share and pray daily for Christians passing through kind of live. We eat and sleep well thinking that all is well may God have mercy on us.