The Lord is known for his justice.
    The wicked are trapped by their own deeds. 

The wicked will go down to the grave.
    This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.

But the needy will not be ignored forever;
    the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed.

Psalm 9:16-18 (NLT)7108900292ff0ab22fd6658c4846f856

My email and FaceBook accounts are filled with the stories and images of the horrors of persecution and murder of Christians in Iraq. This little, supposedly inconsequential country, has had more news written about it in the last 13 years.

Being so far away, it’s easy to pass it off as NIMBY – not in my back yard – but the stakes are so high, we can’t afford to ignore the evil and destruction that is going on. It could easily be on our doorstep at any time.

I’ve read about persecution of Christians from the stories in the Bible of Saul/Paul and many of the other apostles. But I am struck that Christians are living today and being persecuted. They are willing to give up everything they own and flee to a safe place with only what they can carry, rather than to deny their faith in Jesus.

How do they do it? Would I be able to stand up and declare my faith when confronted with death? Persecution?

I know we all have the same Word of God that promises hope and safety, along with justice and death for those who ignore God. For them it is real, as real as running for your life. I want it to be just as real to me.

God will not forget. He will be there to lift us all to safety.

Pray for the persecuted church.