Disturbing???......
I want to share something that I read on a SA Soldier's blog yesterday.... its talking about persecution (as you might guess when you read it!):
"Have you been hated for Christ? have you shed blood? are you in the 70% of the Christian population that is under persecution? tell me if you are, and what country you live in, and let me know if it is wrong for me to pray for persecution in my life.
Though I'd love to be martyred for Christ (front row seats in heaven [Rev 6:9], and solidarity with Christ), I don't feel that now is the time: there is to much to be done, and I want to help.
However - to be beaten, thrown in jail, slandered, mocked, tortured - that I would love right now! I want to share in His sufferings and His glory (Rom 8:18) and "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death" (Philippians 3:10)"
When I read this I did feel disturbed...... disturbed because it sounded extreme, disturbed because I don't know if we should be praying for persecution......... doesn't it say somewhere that we as followers of Christ will encounter persecution - its part of our lot if we are being used by him and being obedient to his call - surely we shouldn't be praying for it. Surely we should be focusing those prayers on praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer terribly from persecution... that they would endure and really know Christ... his power..... his fellowship, etc through the persecution. I felt disturbed to read that this person says that they want to be beaten......... tortured....... I may be wrong (I often am) but why would anyone say they want to experience something so horrendous.................... possibly someone who is looking for something that takes them to the extreme in their walk with Jesus??? I am just summising - I recognise absolutely that when persecution comes (in whatever way it does, subtly and not so subtly) then it quite often will show that we are doing something right for God - to be under attack means we are a threat to the enemy - otherwise we will be left alone. But to actively want to suffer in these prescriptive ways... I don't know.
Surely our walk with Jesus is a way of living on the edge - the biggest adventure - the most extreme of extreme ways of living - radically different from the rest of society..... but I believe that living in this way (with the persecution that inevitably comes along too) should be something that will show itself to those we are living/working/socialising/walking alongside of. Yes, as followers of Christ we should be prepared to suffer, for his cause - if he calls us to suffer, if persecution is allowed then that it will be for his glory and for the extension of his Kingdom. I will be the first to admit that I would find it very difficult if faced with the possibility of martyrdom.... Its surely not something to aim for???
I know I need disturbing and I know too that I very likely need to be more adventurous in my journey with God - he is working on this and I am doing my best to allow him to reveal more and more of himself to me. I accept that I am more than happy to know Christ and his power.... to know his fellowship, to share in his Glory but am I as happy to share in his sufferings in the same way........ Its good to be disturbed - by another's blog certainly but even more importantly allowing the Holy Spirit to do some disturbing and how ever much I might find it so hard at times, I thank God for his Faithfulness and patience yet again and I pray that he will continue to disturb me in as many ways as he sees is necessary........ and if that includes subtle or not so subtle persecution I pray for his strength and and his leading through the middle of it all, that I might emerge just that little bit more like Jesus at the end of it all!
"Have you been hated for Christ? have you shed blood? are you in the 70% of the Christian population that is under persecution? tell me if you are, and what country you live in, and let me know if it is wrong for me to pray for persecution in my life.
Though I'd love to be martyred for Christ (front row seats in heaven [Rev 6:9], and solidarity with Christ), I don't feel that now is the time: there is to much to be done, and I want to help.
However - to be beaten, thrown in jail, slandered, mocked, tortured - that I would love right now! I want to share in His sufferings and His glory (Rom 8:18) and "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death" (Philippians 3:10)"
When I read this I did feel disturbed...... disturbed because it sounded extreme, disturbed because I don't know if we should be praying for persecution......... doesn't it say somewhere that we as followers of Christ will encounter persecution - its part of our lot if we are being used by him and being obedient to his call - surely we shouldn't be praying for it. Surely we should be focusing those prayers on praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer terribly from persecution... that they would endure and really know Christ... his power..... his fellowship, etc through the persecution. I felt disturbed to read that this person says that they want to be beaten......... tortured....... I may be wrong (I often am) but why would anyone say they want to experience something so horrendous.................... possibly someone who is looking for something that takes them to the extreme in their walk with Jesus??? I am just summising - I recognise absolutely that when persecution comes (in whatever way it does, subtly and not so subtly) then it quite often will show that we are doing something right for God - to be under attack means we are a threat to the enemy - otherwise we will be left alone. But to actively want to suffer in these prescriptive ways... I don't know.
Surely our walk with Jesus is a way of living on the edge - the biggest adventure - the most extreme of extreme ways of living - radically different from the rest of society..... but I believe that living in this way (with the persecution that inevitably comes along too) should be something that will show itself to those we are living/working/socialising/walking alongside of. Yes, as followers of Christ we should be prepared to suffer, for his cause - if he calls us to suffer, if persecution is allowed then that it will be for his glory and for the extension of his Kingdom. I will be the first to admit that I would find it very difficult if faced with the possibility of martyrdom.... Its surely not something to aim for???
I know I need disturbing and I know too that I very likely need to be more adventurous in my journey with God - he is working on this and I am doing my best to allow him to reveal more and more of himself to me. I accept that I am more than happy to know Christ and his power.... to know his fellowship, to share in his Glory but am I as happy to share in his sufferings in the same way........ Its good to be disturbed - by another's blog certainly but even more importantly allowing the Holy Spirit to do some disturbing and how ever much I might find it so hard at times, I thank God for his Faithfulness and patience yet again and I pray that he will continue to disturb me in as many ways as he sees is necessary........ and if that includes subtle or not so subtle persecution I pray for his strength and and his leading through the middle of it all, that I might emerge just that little bit more like Jesus at the end of it all!
posted by Ann at 7:17 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home