Growing up in the church, scriptures about being persecuted for my beliefs were frightening. But morning always brought a sense of relief because the world looked like it did the day before. The sun would shine, the rain would fall, people would go to work or school, go on vacation or do work in the yard. Life in America was sweet.
But now that Christians are being taken to court more often and laws are being passed that continue to tighten the limitations of our religious freedom the verses on persecution are coming to life.
After talking about the kind of persecution that leads to our murder, Jesus says, “Therefore whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Mathew 10:32-33).
Our greatest temptation to forsake God’s will is at the point of our death. We see this in Jesus’ prayer in the garden (Luke 22:39-46; Hebrews 5:7-8). Jesus prayed to his Father was heard but he still had to die. The prophet Isaiah gives us a window to look through at how Jesus survived his own death, “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint and know I will not be put to shame” (Isaiah 50:7). We too must determine now that we will remain faithful to God.
We are told to “Look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2). We will spiritually survive our own death as we remind ourselves eternity is longer than this life and God will sustain us through whatever he asks of us.
Scripture reminds us, “Faithful is he who calls you who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). God will give us the strength the moment we need it.
