Keep Your Eye on the Goal
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…
I’m in a women’s Bible study at church and we’ve been going through “Speaking Wisely” by Poppy Smith. This week the text was in Nehemiah – in the Old Testament. I think I’m beginning to love the book – it’s full of encouragement to run the race with endurance. The subject was gossip, but I am getting so much more by reading the book over and over this week.
Nehemiah’s goal was to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem – and there were men who didn’t want him to. They made fun of him, they made fun of the project. They threatened him and they lied about him. Nehemiah prayed…and continued his work. He didn’t ignore them, he prayed, he took precautions and he confronted them when he needed to. But always, he kept on with his work. No matter what, Nehemiah kept on building that wall, despite his adversaries. The Bible tells us that we have an adversary – one who lurks about seeking to devour. But the Bible doesn’t stop there. God tells us now to keep on, like Nehemiah.
1 Peter 5:9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
And now…the point...
That last sentence from 1 Peter struck me. The part about our brotherhood throughout the world experiencing suffering.
Tomorrow is the 10th International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. These are Christians who are standing firm in the face of the adversary.
Bibles Unbound – a ministry of Voice of the Martyrs – has just sent it’s 100,000 bible and has recently added Indonesia as a country that is now getting bibles! The downside is that there are nearly 60,000 recipients that are waiting to receive a Bible. To me (perhaps to us) that seems like it comes from another world – to not be able to have a Bible in my hands is a concept that is foreign to me.
There are many, many Christians throughout the world who are persecuted in ways that I cannot imagine facing myself. But they do it every day. Some of them die. But they persevere.
Like Nehemiah, they pray and they keep on working.
How can we support this brotherhood throughout the world?
I began read the Randy Alcorn book, Safely Home, about the persecuted church in China. I was so deeply grieved and humbled by the first several chapters, I have been unable to finish it.
Pray…. Pray…. Pray for those who are persecuted!
We take our freedom to worship too lightly. Thank you for this reminder. I will pray for them today. Love and hugs, Lynn
Thank you Ellen for bringing that to our attention. Yes, there are brothers and sisters in the world who die for what they stand for. They are more like the first-century Christians…
I think what we can do it: pray, send Bibles through the organizations how are willing to go into those countries and we can be more thankful that we have the privilege to have our own Bible…
Praise he Lord for our freedom, for our ability to whorship freely, for our right to own a Bible, and read it when we feel like it, and pray, pray, pray. I love the book of Nehemiah with its lists of workers, all working while holding a sword aainst the enemy. What a picture of the churcch, each of us building up our small section, some uilding more than others, all standing firm against the great adversary, Satan, and all armed lest we fall. Praise the Lord for His armor and strength which help us stand firm against the devil.
Thanks for the reminder. I agree we at times take our freedom of worship very lightly.
I feel so lucky to own multiple Bibles and feel sad that there are so many who cannot even afford one. I love these organizations that get Bibles out to the needy.
Thanks for the reminder.
What a timely post for me, as I’ve been bumping into Nehemiah a lot lately:-) My heart is also burdened for our brothers and sisters in other lands, and thankful for your heartfelt prayers and post today.
When I pick up my bible later today, I will be thankful I have it in my hand! I am also going to look into donating the extras I have on hand! After all, I can only read one at a time!!