A Little Pressure

Psalm 119:41-48
May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in your word. Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them. I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.

This last weekend at our church we had a service for the persecuted church. There were many things that touched me about the service, and I am always so thankful to be reminded of the wonderful freedoms we have here in America.

Yet there was one thing that really got me, and is sticking with me. I can’t stop thinking about it, and that’s definitely a good thing. It is remarkable how the people in these countries cling to the Word of God! Some of them do not (or at least should not) even have access to a Bible, yet it is so dear and precious. They have outsiders bring Bibles to them, or recite entire books from memory (try doing that one!). They themselves have much of the Word memorized. They love it, consume it, drink it in. They are passionate about the Word. They are passionate about Jesus. And they are willing to die for both.

One thing said that has really made me think and reflect on my own life and habits, is that these people always make time to read and reflect upon God’s Word. No matter how tired they are, they still make the time to take it in. They spend hours, sometimes all night long, just worshipping God in secret, in the dark so as not to be caught. And when they are caught, they fearlessly proclaim Christ to their captors, sometimes to their own demise, sometimes to the demise of their family. They boldly speak of the One for whom they gladly suffer! One boy even said (after losing his ENTIRE family in a church fire) that it’s not hard being a Christian, because we have Jesus.

WOW!

Sometimes I wonder if a little persecution wouldn’t be good for the American church. Not that I desire it, as I truly enjoy the freedom to worship, serve, and speak freely of my Jesus. But it seems that it might do us some good – push us to our knees, pull us into the Word, and make us choose which side we’re really on.

A Church under pressure is one that will explode with the love of Christ!