Freedom

One of my favorite singers is Michael Card. I subscribe to his devotional thought, which comes once a week. This is what he said today "Several years before the cross became a popular Christian symbol, it was the sign of the anchor that the first century Christians scratched on the walls of the catacombs. From antiquity, it had come to be regarded almost universally as a sign of hope; that somewhere there was something that could be trusted in the middle of the storms that characterized their lives then and ours today.
We forget in America that more Christians are dying for their faith in the world today than at any time in the history of the Church. Martyrdom is still a reality. The writer of Hebrews would have us stand with those brothers and sisters, pray for them, weep their tears. Those nameless believers two centuries ago who huddled amidst the corpses in the catacombs, who carved the sign of the anchor into the soft stone walls by the flickering light of candles seemed to know what we must remember, there is only one anchor for our souls; our hope in Christ Jesus. "

I must admit that although I know about persecution in other countries, I do not think to pray for them as often as I should, usually just when I get an email update from Open Door. I did get one from them today as well and was touched at how God used a tragedy in Smyrna to advance His kingdom. You can read about it here: www.opendoorsusa.org/content/view/147/1

I can't even imagine what it must be like to live in that kind of danger! So I am hopeful that I can be more thankful for my religious freedoms and be faithful to pray for those who are not as blessed.