Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
Luke 6:22-23
Did you ever buy a present for your spouse or loved one that was something you really wanted for yourself? I’ve done that to my daughter several times. I gave her presents that I really wanted to play with. We had a tradition for the day after Christmas; we called it “National Play Day”. She dictated what we did & I had to go along with whatever she wanted to do for the day. Usually, it was playing with the toys and games she received the day before. Once, she dressed me up like one of the Spice Girls; unfortunately, I have pics to prove it. 😳
And I did it to Alf this Christmas. One of his gifts was the Voice of the Martyrs Christmas Gift Package.
Here are some of the items included in the packaged set:
I really enjoyed giving this gift, as it actually is a gift for many. We supported Voice of the Martyrs. Alf had another gift to open and I immediately put the books in my “to read next” pile. We post the daily prayers from the calendar to our Facebook page. That way even more people are praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters!
The first book I read was I Am N.
What can we learn from these faith-filled brothers and sisters around the world? How can we pray for them? And what do their remarkable stories teach us about a God whose light shines in a dark world? With 48 inspiring stories, I Am N introduces us to our brothers and sisters who are courageously facing Islamic extremists.
What an inspiration reading about these Christian brothers and sisters! What they’ve had to endure, but more importantly, their faith in and love for the Lord and how they live out James 1:2-3 is awe inspiring. I loved all the stories. Some were more difficult to read than others because of what they went through. I was particularly moved by chapter titled Joy. While it isn’t a story about a specific person, it has a profound message and lesson for us all.
Joy
Joy is probably not the first emotional expression we associate with persecuted followers of Jesus. They may be tortured, abused, and imprisoned without trial. They may have friends and family members who have been killed for their faith. They may be forced to flee their homes, leaving behind everything they own and the communities they love. They may live in crowded tent cities with no hope of a better life. Yet joy is often what people notice most when they encounter these believers.
How is this possible? How can people who suffer so much be filled to overflowing joy?
If we take seriously Jesus’ teaching and example and consider the shared experiences of early Christian believers, the presence of joy in the face of persecution might not be so surprising. Jesus taught his followers to rejoice and leap for joy when they were hated, excluded, reviled, and considered to be evil for his sake. Why? Because they would be blessed and greatly rewarded for their suffering (Luke 6:22-23).
Jesus, no stranger to persecution and unspeakable suffering, modeled such joy in his life: “…who for joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). His example is a powerful antidote to discouragement and weariness of heart.
Our human nature tries to avoid suffering at all costs, but James 1:2-3 reminds persecuted Jesus followers that suffering has a purpose: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
Certainly our brothers and sisters in the faith don’t like to suffer, and we are pained by the fact that they do. But enduring persecution for the sake of Christ is far bigger than pain and suffering. It is about participating in God’s ongoing redemptive work on earth and a glorious eternity with him.
Whether followers of Jesus experience joy in the midst of persecution has far more to do with where our focus is than on the circumstances we encounter. If our joy depends on happy life circumstances, we are in serious trouble when persecution comes. But the Bible is clear about focusing on a greater reality: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2)
This greater reality makes all the difference. It changes our perspective completely. It gives us joy that cannot be held back. That’s why Paul could write to his brothers and sisters in Christ, “You endured a hard struggle with sufferings … and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one [in heaven]” (Hebrews 10:32, 34).
Such deep joy from God sets apart persecuted Jesus followers. Family members notice it. Neighbors notice it. Prison guards notice it. Even hardened ISIS fighters notice it. And that joy has an impact, sometimes leading even the persecutors to want to know the Jesus of those they persecute.
Share in the joy of your brothers and sisters in Christ who count it a privilege to serve Him.
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