When we look around the world today, we can see that many Christians are being persecuted for their beliefs. Certainly, those of us in the United States are living in a different time and a different age. It is not “politically correct” to be a Christian, and the only theme that seems not to be tolerated is intolerance! Say that you are a Christian and that you disagree with homosexuality or abortion, and people will tell you that you need to love and accept everyone. God loved the world so much He sent His Son, not to condemn the world, but that in Him we might have eternal life. Yet at the same time, God has given us His laws that He expects us to follow. He tells us, “If you love Me, obey my commandments.”
Yet compared to the rest of the world, the persecution that we face as believers in the United States is small potatoes. Many Christians, especially in nations practicing Islam, face death for their beliefs in Jesus Christ. Jesus told us of a time when persecution would be prevalent.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Matthew 24:9-14
How would you handle such severe persecution in your Christian life? Are you prepared for the battle that many in the world are enduring at this moment? God doesn’t call us all to be martyrs, and if that is your calling, He will hold your hand through the process, so there is no reason to worry. But as I was reflecting on the reality of that persecution in many lives today, I focused on two aspects: first, we should be praying for those in harm’s way for their beliefs and secondly, we should be thankful for where God has us. That doesn’t mean we should expect our lives to be that easy. Jesus reminded us that He was persecuted and a slave is not better than the Master. We also will be under duress. Corrie Ten Boom comes to mind. Her family protected many Jews in the Netherlands during World War II, and though they saved many lives, were finally imprisoned in concentration camps before the war ended. Corrie Ten Boom survived the holocaust and said this:
“You will never feel that Jesus is everything you need until Jesus is everything you have.”
If we are focusing on money, food, possessions and the like, we lose sight of God’s sufficiency in our lives. Take away the money, the food and the possessions and give me His grace! As the Lord told Paul, when Paul asked that the thorn in his flesh be removed:
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
1 Corinthians 12:9
To quote another Ten Boom, Corrie’s sister Betsie died in the Ravenbruck concentration camp, and she said:
"There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still."
If you are in a pit, know that God’s love can find you there just as easily. In fact, God’s love can find you there more easily, for it is in those pits that we know we cannot rely on ourselves and we are forced to acknowledge that He is the only one who can save us. There are no atheists in foxholes! Draw nearer to Him today, and pray for our Christian brothers in the Arabic countries.
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