Voice of the Martyrs

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I recently attended a Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) conference which transformed my view of persecution and how we ought to act when we are persecuted for Jesus name. I am still grappling with some things, but it is apparent to me that I don't do a good job of showing love those who hate me or my King. In all the stories that I heard at the VOM Advance Conference everyone who was persecuted prayed fervently for the lives of those persecuting them. Many villages have come away with stories of individuals who once did the persecuting but now are among our brothers and sisters in Christ! 

The assistance which is most frequently asked for is prayer. Those in restricted and hostile nations know that the greatest thing they can do for themselves and their communities is pray. I shudder to think what some of the individuals I heard about would react to my Christian walk. Would I even be recognizable as their sister? Or would my lack of devotion to prayer and the reading of scripture be repulsive? I alone own five Bibles. Many of those being persecuted in hostile and restricted nations have no access to any Bibles at all, maybe they have only a page of scripture in their home. With such access to scripture and the written work of God, surely I should utilize them without ceasing? 

But even as I write I wonder where my heart is in this? Those things that I have just written feel depressing and discouraging. It is important to note (for myself and for you) that it is not helpful to dwell in self disappointment and frustration under conviction. The Lord knew what He was doing when He placed me here, in the United States as the owner of five Bibles which get moderate to no use each day they are in my possession. Persecution in the West looks different than it does in the East, but the antidote of this pain and suffering is the same. What is that antidote? Prayer. Prayer that the Lord enters the situation and stands with you. Prayer that He changes the heart of those who are persecuting you. Prayer that everything the enemy tries to use against you gets taken up into God's hands and turned around into something that brings Him glory and honor. Prayer for those in other parts of the world who struggle with persecution and martyrdom, even as they pray for us.

Bibles, like all treasures of the Earth, will pass away. But those who put their trust in the Lord shall live eternally. The Bible is immensely important as the written word of God. But we must recognize as well that the Bible is not the foundation of our faith. The foundation of our faith is (or ought to be) Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him. 

I highly recommend attending a VOM Advance Conference or just simply finding out more information and listening to some of the stories they have the opportunity to share. 

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