Last Saturday (September 24) Dad and we girls had the opportunity to go to a Voice of the Martyrs Bound with Them conference in Grand Rapids, MN.
A VOM staff member drove this truck up from Oklahoma--he said it's a good conversation starter!
The conference featured three different speakers from around the world. It was so humbling and convicting to hear them speak about their experiences or those of other dear brothers and sisters in Christ. One speaker showed a video clip of some Christians in Asia who did not have Bibles. A lady in their midst had a suitcase full of Bibles, and as soon as she unzipped it they swarmed the suitcase faster than you can imagine, grabbing for the precious Books. They were all kissing their long-wanted Bibles and holding them close. Some were crying. They all were giving thanks.
The speaker asked how many people had a Bible. Then he asked how many had two Bibles…how many had three…and so on. Another speaker did the same, and asked if we read all of our Bibles.
Do we even read one? How often? Is it a chore?
Those Christians looked like starving people swarming a suitcase of food. And indeed they were–they were starving for spiritual food, the Word of God, which the suitcase was full of.
It’s one thing to hear about it or read about it. It’s another thing to see it–albeit a recording–with your own eyes.
Abby, me, our friend Hannah K. and Sara in front of the greatest truck ever!
There were countless stories and pictures of Christians around the world being persecuted for their faith. And they are asking us to pray for them. This is extremely understandable. They are suffering–imprisonment, beatings, tortures, other horrors, and even death–and they want and need our prayers. But do you know what is so humbling? They are praying for us! Our brothers and sisters in Christ, who we think need prayer the most, are praying for us. We have it so “easy” compared to them, yet they are praying for us. How often do we remember to pray for them?
As Christians, we need to remember those of the Body of Christ who are suffering. It was brought up in the conference that “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). We need to bear up our suffering brothers and sisters in prayer . We can also support them in practical ways. Find out more how you can help our persecuted family in Christ at persecution.com.
Our VOM purchases--a T-shirt, books, and videos.
One of our sisters in Christ, Asia Bibi, is in a Pakistan prison on blasphemy charges, which means she could be executed for proclaiming that Christ is alive! Please go to A Call for Mercy to sign a petition to free Asia Bibi. The goal is to collect one million signatures for her release. Please don’t think that your one signature doesn’t make a difference. It does…every signature counts.
May we always remember our suffering brothers and sisters in prayer. And may we have the courage to suffer for our Lord Jesus if He ever calls us to. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” Hebrews 10:23.
