a beautiful irony
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090724/ap_on_re_as/as_nkorea_christian_executed
the article is about how this one north korean christian woman was executed for distributing a bible. the article goes on to say how christians face much risk in north korea, how they are jailed &how religious prisoners are often treated worse than the other inmates.
though it is a lot better nowadays, christians in china face similar treatment. the torture techniques they used were so gruesome. i've heard of chopsticks through the ears, ripping off of nails, plunging people into ice cold water, etc. i will not go on..
my great grandfather was a pastor in china &he died in jail.
john wycliffe put himself at a huge risk when he challenged the catholic church & believed that the bible should be translated & made available to the ordinary people.
we hear of these stories a lot. of christians getting persecuted, tortured, killed all over the world. yeah, it shouldn't be like that, but yet we should expect it to be like that, for Jesus said
i was listening to a sermon the other day, &the pastor mentioned the topic of persecution. when the pastor first became christian, she was greatly persecuted by her family. she says that in high school, the thought that consumed her the most each day was just the hope that when she gets home from fellowship, she wouldn't be beat by her father. she was too busy living in the face of persecution to even think about such things as dating. my mom, when she first became christian, was also persecuted by her family. &yet she told me of how much she treasured reading her bible & going to fellowship. &how when she first realized that there was a God, the thought that came to her mind was that since there really is a God, shouldn't our entire lives be lived out for Him? we, however, without persecution, are always wrapped up in our thoughts about dating, that boy/girl, this job or that internship, video games, tv shows, how we look, what our position in society is, etc. all such meaningless things if we were to compare it to our actual life's purpose of living for God & God alone. these things aren't bad or wrong, but way too much of our time & thoughts is spent on such trivial matters when we have the full privilege of having the option to openly grow in our relationship with God.
i really believe that suffering brings out our true selves. i wonder, if all the US christians were placed in north korea, how many of them would still call themselves christians? while suffering may cause some to fall away, it causes others to grow stronger in their faith & reliance on God. isn't this type of persecution ironic? the persecution is intended to stop christianity, &from a worldly perspective, it should stop right? i mean, after all, the same concept of using harsh punishment to stop certain actions such as murdering, stealing, &lying is often used & often works for the most part. we don't see a strong unified band of murderers in the US in the face of capital punishment. yet, we see strong christians in areas where persecution is prevalent. not only are they strong, their numbers increase &they're able to rejoice! &yet in areas like our own, where there is little to no persecution, we see such weaknesses in spiritual lives, pride & conformity to the world's standards, increased occurrences of depression, increased numbers of those falling away, distortion of biblical truths &moral concepts, splitting of churches, etc. we would expect that in such a lax community, there'd be stronger christians right? there'd be more appreciation &treasuring of the faith right? i guess not. what an irony! &yet what a beautiful irony: that christians could grow stronger because of persecution. that God's glory could be even more revealed through sufferings. that sufferings are actually spiritual blessings. while worldly blessings &comfort can so often kill the spirit.
//edit:
&what does it mean to treasure our privileges? i really do think it means taking our relationship with God more seriously. reading the bible everyday. praying everyday. spending time with God everyday. these are the daily activities that the north korean christians probably wish they could do openly & safely. we have the privilege of doing it openly. of being witnesses for God openly without persecution, yet. to live our faith out loud. to understand that the north koreans are continuing to be christian even though they are being persecuted reveals how great of a treasure we have &how blessed we are to be able to enjoy this relationship without the threat of being executed.
i feel that they are privileged spiritually. they have been chosen to suffer for God. how awesome is that. &it is an emphasis on them in that we will pray for them. the emphasis on us will be prayer that we may grow &have the same courage they have. that we may contribute to the body of Christ just as strongly as they have. & that when the times comes for us to be persecuted or suffer, we will have the same faith & courage as they do.
the article is about how this one north korean christian woman was executed for distributing a bible. the article goes on to say how christians face much risk in north korea, how they are jailed &how religious prisoners are often treated worse than the other inmates.
though it is a lot better nowadays, christians in china face similar treatment. the torture techniques they used were so gruesome. i've heard of chopsticks through the ears, ripping off of nails, plunging people into ice cold water, etc. i will not go on..
my great grandfather was a pastor in china &he died in jail.
john wycliffe put himself at a huge risk when he challenged the catholic church & believed that the bible should be translated & made available to the ordinary people.
we hear of these stories a lot. of christians getting persecuted, tortured, killed all over the world. yeah, it shouldn't be like that, but yet we should expect it to be like that, for Jesus said
Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. (john 15:20)& again:
"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. (luke 21:12)while i'm sad listening/reading these kind of articles and stories &hearing about the plight of these people, i am more sad that we with our religious privileges do not value our walk with God enough. people put their own lives at risk to translate the bible into our language for us & yet we don't even treasure reading God's word. we're too busy with other things. fellowships in other parts of the world look forward to having guest speakers come (a rare event)&when they do come, they camp out so eagerly in small, sordid quarters to listen to the bits of wisdom & knowledge these guest speakers have to say to them. yet we with our plethora of speakers/guest speakers care more about critiquing the speakers than actually listening to &doing what the speakers have received from God. christians in other parts of the world put their own lives at risk by meeting with others just to fellowship, read the bible, pray, share, &listen to what GOd's been doing in their lives while giving hope &encouragement to each other. while with us, our fellowship consists more of hanging out and meaningless discussions than prayer & bible study.
i was listening to a sermon the other day, &the pastor mentioned the topic of persecution. when the pastor first became christian, she was greatly persecuted by her family. she says that in high school, the thought that consumed her the most each day was just the hope that when she gets home from fellowship, she wouldn't be beat by her father. she was too busy living in the face of persecution to even think about such things as dating. my mom, when she first became christian, was also persecuted by her family. &yet she told me of how much she treasured reading her bible & going to fellowship. &how when she first realized that there was a God, the thought that came to her mind was that since there really is a God, shouldn't our entire lives be lived out for Him? we, however, without persecution, are always wrapped up in our thoughts about dating, that boy/girl, this job or that internship, video games, tv shows, how we look, what our position in society is, etc. all such meaningless things if we were to compare it to our actual life's purpose of living for God & God alone. these things aren't bad or wrong, but way too much of our time & thoughts is spent on such trivial matters when we have the full privilege of having the option to openly grow in our relationship with God.
i really believe that suffering brings out our true selves. i wonder, if all the US christians were placed in north korea, how many of them would still call themselves christians? while suffering may cause some to fall away, it causes others to grow stronger in their faith & reliance on God. isn't this type of persecution ironic? the persecution is intended to stop christianity, &from a worldly perspective, it should stop right? i mean, after all, the same concept of using harsh punishment to stop certain actions such as murdering, stealing, &lying is often used & often works for the most part. we don't see a strong unified band of murderers in the US in the face of capital punishment. yet, we see strong christians in areas where persecution is prevalent. not only are they strong, their numbers increase &they're able to rejoice! &yet in areas like our own, where there is little to no persecution, we see such weaknesses in spiritual lives, pride & conformity to the world's standards, increased occurrences of depression, increased numbers of those falling away, distortion of biblical truths &moral concepts, splitting of churches, etc. we would expect that in such a lax community, there'd be stronger christians right? there'd be more appreciation &treasuring of the faith right? i guess not. what an irony! &yet what a beautiful irony: that christians could grow stronger because of persecution. that God's glory could be even more revealed through sufferings. that sufferings are actually spiritual blessings. while worldly blessings &comfort can so often kill the spirit.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,but now I obey your word. (psalm 119:67)
It was good for me to be afflictedwhile i really cannot bring myself to pray that God would send life-endangering persecution on me to help me grow, i know that i can learn to rejoice and give thanks constantly as to how very blessed i am &to face each smaller trial or 'suffering' with more joy & thanksgiving since i know that God would be able to use it to help me grow & bring glory to His name more. these articles &stories remind me to take my relationship with God seriously. to take this privileged &blessed time to grow, because, who knows, one day i may no longer have this privilege, &if we can't be strong during easy times, how will we persevere through the difficult?so that I might learn your decrees.
The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. (psalm 119:71-72)
If your law had not been my delight,may we really delight in God's word &in the easily accessible & comfortable fellowship we have with one another. may we appreciate our privileges now & make the most of them & not wait until we lose these privileges in the end days to regret what could and should have been.I would have perished in my affliction. psalm 119:92
//edit:
&what does it mean to treasure our privileges? i really do think it means taking our relationship with God more seriously. reading the bible everyday. praying everyday. spending time with God everyday. these are the daily activities that the north korean christians probably wish they could do openly & safely. we have the privilege of doing it openly. of being witnesses for God openly without persecution, yet. to live our faith out loud. to understand that the north koreans are continuing to be christian even though they are being persecuted reveals how great of a treasure we have &how blessed we are to be able to enjoy this relationship without the threat of being executed.
i feel that they are privileged spiritually. they have been chosen to suffer for God. how awesome is that. &it is an emphasis on them in that we will pray for them. the emphasis on us will be prayer that we may grow &have the same courage they have. that we may contribute to the body of Christ just as strongly as they have. & that when the times comes for us to be persecuted or suffer, we will have the same faith & courage as they do.
hi christine!!! :)
ReplyDelete