"I'm staying.
I already feel dead,
only my soul remains,
and if they want to take
that
I don't have a
problem."
(The words of an Iraqi Christian)
It is the land of a sojourner named Abraham and the land that
heard the warnings of the prophet Jonah. Abraham left this place by God’s
command to, “Go from your country…and I will make you a great nation.” The
prophet Jonah proclaimed from this spot that God forgives and utterly saves
when we cry out. These people were the rebel ones, but when hearing from the prophet’s
mouth that their home was to be destroyed, believed in God and called for a
fast.From the least to the greatest, the king and the beggar fasted. They cried
out to the Lord, and He heard. He relented when He heard the people’s cries.
The land where Christians have been witnesses since two of Jesus
disciples spread the news of the Son of God and His glorious resurrection.
Two thousand years of history they have held onto the truth.
Throughout history it has been a place of deep roots with
the fear of God and a place where Christianity has thrived. A place where war,
persecution and displacement have been what marks their testimony.
These roots are being threatened.
Those from the ISIS have demanded these Christians to flee
or die. It is tragic. It is only the work of God that can make this evil act be
used for good.
Through the veil we can
peer in and see that even the darkest of days can be made to reveal His light.
Those with evil intentions are trying to remove this light.
This testimony of a faithful God guarding over His church. The evil one would like nothing more than to
remove this “city on a hill”.
My heart aches for these who have seen their ancient
churches burned and destroyed. I hurt for these who leave with nothing but their
weary bodies and loved ones and live in a land that is not their own. I ache
for those who remain and count the cost.
I know that the Church does not need a building for Christ
to be proclaimed. I realize that God is greater than these evil forces who try
and remove the people of His grafting. I understand that those who share in
Christ suffering will one day serve Him night and day and His presence will
forever be their covering.
Like Esther, King Hezekiah and the people of Nineveh, I know
that He hears the cries of His people. That even if we have never suffered in this
way, we can intently be on our knees for these our brothers and sisters.
My voice feels so small and I wrestle with the “what”. I
hear Him speak to my heart: Fast. Pray. Speak. Put down your chic-Fila or your bowl of rice and get on your knees for these dear, brave ones.
Put aside that you don’t know what this suffering entails, and don’t do it because it might be at your doorstep someday. Pray. Petition a gracious Father on behalf of His children. Intercede and carry the burden for these who are wandering in a new land or remaining planted in the land of their fathers. Beg that they would remain faithful no matter what is required.
Put aside the news social media news concerning the temporal and speak to your neighbor, your representative, tell your children and your Facebook friends and let the world know that as the Church we will stand with our fellow believers around the world.
It might feel as though we are insignificant yet He hears. I must hold onto the fact that He works in the -small things and insignificant beginnings like a seed and a spark.
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hear their cry and saves them. Psalm 145:18-19
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear… Isaiah 59:1
“For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:21
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Matthew 16:27
Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. Proverbs 24:11
For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David. 2 Kings 19:34
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (14) Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.(19)
Jonah 3; Rev
12:11; Rev 7:13-17; 2 Kings 19 (32-34, 15-19); Col 1:10-14; Phil 2:14-7; Isa
63:15-19; Prov 29:10; Prov 24:11; Isa 58; I Peter 4:12-19; Zech 4:10
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