 |
| Twitter users respond to the Kenyan attack |
TO CHEW ON: " ' If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.' " John 15:18
The slaughter by al-Shebaab terrorists of Christian students in a Kenyan university seemed far away with a limited effect on my life until I got this note from my nephew who works as a missionary in Uganda:
"We request that you lift up Christians in Kenya and Uganda as we have been warned of eminent terror attacks on Christians and western interests in the two countries…"
Our sense of security here in North America may be false and short-lived as world travel and communication homogenize beliefs. Whenever, wherever, and however this Jesus-hating force touches us, we shouldn't be surprised. For Jesus predicted it.
In fact, His description of its motivation: " ' … whoever kills you will think that he offers God service…' " seems to describe quite particularly the motivation of those who currently use sword, gun, and explosive with abandon around the world.
But we are not defenseless or powerless against this hatred of Christ and Christians. We defend with love (John 15:12) and fight back with prayer. In his book Love On Its Knees, Dick Eastman speaks of World Prayer Missionaries:
" … a World Prayer Missionary is any follower of Jesus who will go daily in prayer to a specific region of the world to engage in a carefully planned strategy of spiritual warfare."He goes on to describe the four-pronged function of such a prayer warrior:
- He / she is a forerunner—a preparer of the way for missionaries on the ground - Isaiah 62:1,2.
- He / she is a war club or weapon in God's hands - Isaiah 62:3
- He / she is a threshing sledge, pulverizing what Satan would raise up to block God's plan - Isaiah 41:15.
- He / she is a ruling authority - Jeremiah 1:10 - Dick Eastman, Love On Its Knees, p. 176-8.
As we see the spread of Christ-hating and persecution of Christians let's not take it sitting down. Rather, let's fight it on our knees.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, You died for these people. They are my human brothers and sisters who you love. Please help me to view them through Your eyes and respond to news of such events of terrorism and persecution with increased prayer. Amen.
*********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
