Thankful No Matter the Circumstance

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:18

When the Pilgrims first prepared that infamous feast and came together to unite in fellowship with the Native Americans, I wonder if they realized the impact that moment would have on generations upon generations that came after them.  Although their Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days, many of the Thanksgiving traditions we celebrate today – eating, playing games, fellowshiping, giving thanks – were all a part of that very first Thanksgiving!  It’s truly a testament to their story that an event that happened in 1621 could span the course of time and still be virtually identical for millions of others in 2014.

For the attendees to that First Thanksgiving feast, it wasn’t so much about the food, but rather the coming together of two completely different parties as they worked together to live their lives in unity with one another and through some pretty difficult circumstances - famine, harsh winter, and even death.  It was about gratefulness of not only being alive and with family, but also thankfulness of fellow man and in working together to accomplish something beneficial.  I think that especially today with all of the unrest in our nation in places like Ferguson, MO, among others, that is something we can most definitely pray for and hope happens today.

As I reflect on Thanksgiving, I am incredibly thankful for so much, but certain people and experiences enter my mind today that have made me stop and think about what I take for granted and how thankful I am to the Lord for His provisions in my life.  I hope you will take a few moments to read below and give thanks today for the blessings the Lord has given you…and pray for these particular experiences and people this Thanksgiving.

Life Itself

I’m thankful for each breath I take and each moment I am alive.  I’m thankful for family and friends that surround and encourage me, who let me cry on their shoulders, who laugh and are sarcastic with me, and who pray for me every day.  I’m thankful for experiences that have shaped me and guided me to the path I walk today.  I’m thankful for life. 

This year so many in my church and community have lost loved ones and are spending this Thanksgiving without them - my heart hurts for these sweet friends and I pray God's love to overwhelm them today.  Also within the past month or two, I’ve watched friends and fellow believers in Christ walk through the loss of a loved one who took their own life.  Of course the circumstances that led to that moment are something I know nothing about and even that the family members may know nothing about this side of heaven; but to come to a point where life itself isn’t worth living has to be a place of such intense and extreme loneliness and sadness – even if you are surround by a loving and supportive family.  It’s something that doesn’t make sense at all and my heart breaks for those, believers and unbelievers, going through the feeling today of not being thankful for life.  May they know that the one who gives eternal life is right there holding their hand ready to walk through the difficult and lonely times with them.  May they feel his peace today and every day and be surrounded by love and encouragement.

The Romeike family

I am thankful for miracles and that God hears the cries of His people and answers them.  Earlier this year, I blogged about some sweet friends – the Romeike family; check out “Modern Day Pilgrims.”  Truly the members of this family are modern day pilgrims in our nation.  Just like the Plymouth Rock Pilgrims, the Romeike family came to America to escape religious persecution in their country.  They left everything and everyone they ever knew to come to a place to raise their family in the way of the Lord, something they were unable to do in their native country.

Over the past few years, they fought legal battles and this year it came to a head as their case reached the US Supreme Court.  Would they be granted amnesty or would they be deported?  So many individuals all over the country, but most especially our community, prayed that they would be granted amnesty.  The verdict came back and stated that the final ruling stood – deportation.  It made absolutely no sense that we as a nation founded upon principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness could not see the similarities of this family to that of the Pilgrims and grant them this freedom that they so desperately wanted.  So we prayed…all of us…a nation of us…that God would work a miracle even when it certainly didn’t seem like one could happen.  The very next day, God answered our prayers and the very administration who fought so hard against the Romeike family granted them indefinite deferred action status which meant they could permanently stay in the US.  Truly it was a miracle.  Today the Romeike family…with their sweet “Peanut” pictured with me below…celebrate Thanksgiving with a pretty awesome reason to be thankful.

Servant Hearts

I’m thankful to live among fellow family and friends who seek to live with servant hearts.  I’m thankful that when someone sees a need, they do their best to meet it.  I’m thankful that I am able to encourage children to live with servant hearts and that they listen and take initiative to minister to others.  I cherish the stories they share with me about having the opportunity to tell somebody about Jesus on the school bus or about how they asked for gifts on their birthdays for those less fortunate.  I’m oh, so thankful that these precious children are growing up with servant hearts because that means our future will have individuals to carry on our work and dreams to reach others with the love and message of Jesus.

Each person we touch through our servant hearts could be Jesus in disguise.  I’m ever so reminded of that because of an experience I have witnessed this week at the church.  A little over a week ago a man came to the church office and requested if he could use a portion of our parking lot to load a shipping container.  He is very hard to understand because of his Hungarian accent, but we finally gathered from him that he has lost everything here in America (as his wife and daughter have both died here) and that he has no family or friends and wants to go back home to Hungary.  Unfortunately there have been some issues with the shipping container people and he still hasn’t been able to load his things into the container; he's lonely and frustrated, but grateful for the help we have been able to give.  He gave my dad his address and said, “Here will be my address in Hungary.  I have no family or friends here, but I just want someone in America to know where I will live.”  Breaks.my.heart.  As I’ve watched others help him and as I’ve even spoken to him myself, I am ever so reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:40, “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me.” 

Freedom to Worship

I am thankful for salvation and that I can worship the Lord freely and with no worries of being persecuted for my faith.  This year we have watched many of our fellow man suffer persecution for being believers in Christ, most especially in the Middle East.  From imprisonment to even beheadings – these saints have stood strong for the witness of Christ, something He told us we might have to do. 

I’ll be honest, the subject of religious persecution wasn’t really on my radar until this summer at the Southern Baptist Convention.  It was there I heard first-hand from Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of Saeed Abedini, an Iraqi-American pastor being imprisoned in Iraq because of his faith.  I had seen her on TV and even read about her husband, but it wasn’t until ERLC President Russell Moore spoke about Naghmeh and her husband that I really “heard” their story.  After the presentation, I got to speak for a brief moment to Naghmeh and tell her how I would be praying for her and her children.  I blogged about this experience in “#SaveSaeed this Father’s Day.” 

Over the past few months, I have read her posts and seen her pictures of her sweet family as they go through milestones (like today’s Thanksgiving holiday) in their lives without their precious father and husband.  Through each moment, however, she talks about how she is so proud of Saeed and his perseverance in not denying Christ.  Saeed truly “would rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.”  That is powerful and a testament to all of us. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us to “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Giving thanks in all circumstances is hard especially when the world around you is in turmoil, when you are mourning the death of a loved one, when you aren’t sure of your freedom, when you see someone in desperate need of help, or when you are being tortured because of your faith – but giving thanks is important because of all that Christ has done for you.  Not only did he give you life, but He gave HIS life so that you can live eternally with Him.  That fact alone is something for which to be thankful.

The 2014 world most definitely doesn’t look like the 1621 world, but the thoughts behind today span the course of 393 years...give thanks to the Lord and for all He has done for you.  Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Dancing With the Father

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…” (Psalm 37:23)

So my guilty pleasure on Monday nights is the TV show Dancing with the Stars.  I’ve been really excited that the past couple of seasons have featured devout Christian personalities.  Candace Cameron Bure (Full House) was on last season and this season, Sadie Robertson (Duck Dynasty) is featured.  To me, dancing (and not just the dancing on TV) seems so intriguing and beautiful.  Every dance seems to tell a story and it’s fun to imagine what that story might be.  Funny side story: I have had ballroom dancing lessons…and yes, I can totally hear you laughing right now.  While these lessons may not have been “formal” lessons, dancing lessons were part of my eighth and ninth grade physical education curriculum.  Must not have done much though because I don’t remember a lick…plus most of those memories are in the “do not retrieve” section of my memory banks.  I’m definitely not coordinated enough to dance, but I’ll admit…it is fun to watch.

One thing I’ve noticed while watching people dance is that the next steps are very important.  The next step of any type of dance depends on the step that came before it.  If the footing is in the wrong place, the next step will be difficult or possibly even impossible to complete.  Dancers also have to depend greatly on their dancing partner on certain moves and maybe even lifts that are required as part of the routine and in every dance, one of the dance partners has to take the lead.   Through practice, perseverance, and teamwork, however, dancers can create a beautiful masterpiece as they follow through each next step of their routine.

So…how does this apply to us non-dancers?  How can we be sure that our “next steps” won’t result in missteps or even failure?  Psalm 37:23 says it simply and clearly, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.”  God knows the next steps of our lives.  He is ready and waiting to help us get to where we need to be.  The key for us is to give our steps…all of them…over to Him.  That can be hard to do.  As humans we want to be in charge and have it our way, but that’s where we lose our footing and land flat on our face…like a misstep in dancing. 

Life isn’t about what we want; it’s about God's direction and what He wants.  Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”  We may want to achieve that "next step” ourselves, but God is the One who will direct us to the next step we need to take.  He has to take the lead in this crazy dance of life.  It might be a little scary to for us to give Him control of it all, but because His ways are perfect (Psalm 18:30), He won’t let us fall flat on our face…He’ll be there every step of the way.  It could be that the next step He takes us to might not make sense at the time it happens.  We need to keep in our hearts that ultimately this confusing next step is only a small part of an even greater next step that God has created for us.  Through trusting in Him, staying in His Word, and talking to Him daily, He will direct us in every single step He wants us to take.

I love the picture below because it's such a perfect illustration to how we should be in this dance of life with our Heavenly Father.  Just hold on to Him, put your feet on His so you don't fall off, and let Him direct you to the next step.  God is our master designer and He already knows how this dance of life ends.  The dance may be complex and challenging, but ultimately it will be beautiful because we let Him take the lead.  

Nuggets of God's Wisdom

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Recently I had the opportunity to substitute teach 1^st grade Sunday School.  For me it was like going back to my roots as 1^st grade Sunday School was the very first place I became involved in when I came to FBC Morristown.  Those were such joyous times as I looked forward to being personally involved in kids’ lives each Sunday and watching them grow in their knowledge and understanding of Jesus and His Word.  It is hard to believe that the very first 1^st grade group I taught is now in the ninth grade!  I feel extremely old!

The lesson for the week I subbed was about Psalm 104.  I initially wondered how on earth the kids were going to be able to relate to a psalm…I mean some psalms are a bit depressing and others hard for even me to wrap my mind around.  While a few of the psalms are very familiar to me, this one…Psalm 104…was not.  As I began to delve into the psalm, however, my worries about the kids understanding it were completely gone.  The entire psalm was about Creator God how great He is for creating such a beautiful world.  The psalmist describes with such imagery each facet of the earth…from land to sea to sky…and praises God for His greatness in creating it.  Psalm 104 is written with such visually appetizing words that you could almost close your eyes and paint a glorious masterpiece in your imagination. It is most definitely a perfect psalm to pair with the Creation story from Genesis!

Have you ever found new nuggets of wisdom in the Scriptures?  For me personally, I am increasingly amazed to discover new and exciting things in the Bible!  This experience with Psalm 104 is just one that recently happened to me, but there have been other passages or verses that I have come across that I never knew existed.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”  As Christians, the Bible is our manual for daily living and has been given to us by God to equip us in our walk with and talk of He and His Son.  It’s not designed for us to just read and then apply to one aspect of our life and move on – it’s designed for us to apply to all aspects of living and to learn new truths from throughout our entire life.  No matter the circumstance or situation, the Scriptures have something for everyone.  The psalmist praised God for the Scriptures so beautifully by saying, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  As the written Word of God, the Bible truly illuminates the way for us to go. 

The key to finding new nuggets of wisdom in the Bible is to read and study it.  Don’t let it sit on a shelf collecting dust…open it and discover new and exciting truths and/or passages that apply to you or that you can connect to other parts of the Bible.  One great (and easy) way to find how Scriptures connect with other Scriptures is to look at the cross references (those are the little book-name/verse references to the side of the passage/verse you are reading).  These additional references take you to other parts of the Bible that relate to the particular passage you are studying.  Another way you can connect certain truths to different parts of Scripture is to look at a concordance which is a book that lists different Scripture references that connect to one particular truth.  However you choose to delve into the Word, as you do, you will begin to see God’s grand design and how all things (from Old Testament to New Testament) connect together for His glory and honor. 

Grow in your Christian walk by digging deep into the Bible.  D.L. Moody said, “The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.”  He is so right.  Open God’s Word, discover new and exciting nuggets of wisdom from the Father and watch the transformation of your heart and mind begin.

Take a Selfie of Your Heart

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. – 1 Samuel 16:7

One current trend that I love is the photography of individuals, friends, family, engagements, weddings, etc. in a setting other than a photography studio.  Don’t get me wrong, yearbook and church directory photos serve their purpose, but there’s just something about spontaneous photography that can reach your heartstrings.  Whether it’s outside in a field, in a historic building, or in some other out-of-the-ordinary setting, I absolutely love how photographers can capture people “in the moment” and evoke emotion and personality out of the photos they take.  These kinds of photos tell a story about a person…who they are, what they enjoy doing, and what their everyday life is like.  My sisters and I have had photos taken like the ones I am describing and below is one of my favorites.  This photo definitely speaks “The Young Sisters!” :)

In this world of “selfies” and having “the perfect picture,” it is very easy to become self-conscious about how you look and whether or not the picture turned out good.  This isn’t just a 2014 issue, it’s been an ongoing problem – people want to look a certain way in order to be who they think they have to be.  From elementary school to adulthood…everyone, to some extent, feels they have to be something they aren’t in order to fit in.

Thank goodness God isn’t worried about any of that nonsense.  God tells the prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7 that, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  He said this in relation to David being anointed King.  Samuel kept thinking that God wanted him to anoint David’s older and more muscular-looking brothers.  David was the youngest and I have a feeling a little scrawny compared to the rest of his siblings (we know this from how he was described when meeting Goliath for the first time).  Surely God didn’t want the scrawny brother to be King of Israel?  How could he fight in a war or represent the nation?  BUT…God told Samuel that physical appearance doesn’t matter to Him.  What matters is the heart of the person. 

1 Peter 3:4 is a great encouragement to this thought as well, “let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”  God doesn’t care about the current fashion, pearly whites, or ear/nose/bellybutton bling.  He cares what you adorn yourself with on the inside…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Galatians 5:22-23).  Don’t worry about what you look like –  worry about your heart.  Do you follow Christ?  Are you kind?  Do you show compassion?  Do you seek to serve God?  Are you encouraging?  And the list of positive attributes you relate to yourself could go on and on and on.  The phrase “be yourself” seems so cliché, but it is so true.  There’s no one quite like you.  You are unique.  You were fearfully and wonderfully made by a Creator who always does something for a purpose (Psalm 139:14, Romans 8:28).  That in itself, quite frankly, is beautiful.

I’m in no way harping on selfies or picture taking…keep taking those pictures!  But next time you do take a selfie of your heart and think “Does this picture reflect me on the inside?”  Again, that’s why I love “in the moment” photography so much because I can truly see the heart of the person/people in them.  Props to all those photographers out there who are able to reflect our hearts through their craft.  Just remember, dear friend that as God’s child you live for Christ, not for others, and no matter what you think about how you look, Jesus thinks that heart of yours is the most beautiful thing in the world.  And THAT is all that matters in this life.

"Live Like That" Day

"And He [Jesus] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him…”  - 2 Corinthians 5:15a

Ice Cream Day, Best Friend Day, Purple Shirt Day…who even comes up with those?  I mean, I know national holidays are instituted by the government, but run-of-the-mill celebration/remembrance days…where do those even originate?  Well, if any ordinary person is the one who develops such days, I have a proposition for July 4.  I know, I know…that day is already taken as Independence Day, but surely to goodness we take part in both.  What is my proposition for July 4?  Let’s make it “Live Like That” Day!

Why July 4?  

On July 4, 2012, two special kids – Nate & Noah – lost their lives in a tragic lake accident.  The days and months that followed were so difficult and challenging (and still are) for the families as they came to terms with what had happened and how to move on with life.  July 4 has become a day that is hard to look at on the calendar, talk about, and most especially live through as it is just tied to the memory of that unforgettable day.  I’m all about taking a negative and turning it into a positive – so how about taking this difficult day and turning it into a day where we make a difference?  Of course we still take time to remember the boys and pray for their families, but let’s make July 4 a day beyond what it is and make it a day to honor them in a positive way!

Why “Live Like That?” 
In the month or so that followed the accident, the Sidewalk Prophet’s song, Live Like That became kind of an anthem of remembrance of the two boys.  The song talks about how Christians should live their lives as one that points to and impacts others for Christ.  Even in their short lives, Nate & Noah impacted their peers & even adults with their talents and personalities.  At their funeral, the stories of their legacies impacted people follow Christ and recommit their lives to Him.  They lived lives that pointed others to Jesus and even through their passing were still pointing the world to Him.  In relation to that, Nate’s family developed red bracelets with the phrase on them to remind people to “Live Like That” which even found their way to the Sidewalk Prophet band with whom the families have had opportunities to meet and share the boys’ story.

Who are we supposed to live like?  

Jesus.  Plain and simple.  2 Corinthians 5:15a cuts straight to the heart of this – “And He [Jesus] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him…”  In life we all strive for perfection, but we never attain it and frankly will never attain it.  The only perfect person to ever live was Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 2:22 says that Jesus, “committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”  

What’s the first way we can strive to be like Him?  Giving our lives to Him.  This requires admittance of our sin (all the wrong things we’ve ever done) and the acknowledgment that we are not perfect, belief that Jesus is the Son of God, confession of our sins, and commitment to follow Jesus every day following.  Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God.”  By doing this we receive a gift – eternal life with Him.    

The second way we can be like Jesus is to follow His example.  In the Bible Jesus told us, “I have given you an example that as I have done, so should you” (John 13:15).  We can see many attributes of Christ as we study the Bible but some that come to the top of my mind are – compassion, serving, grace, mercy, honesty, thoughtfulness, endurance, discernment, and the list goes on and on.  We’re not going to reach the level of Christ…we’re imperfect humans…but we can live our lives as Christ by making His attributes our attributes and by following His example.

What do we do to “Live Like That?”

Honestly anything positive, uplifting, or encouraging to benefit the lives of others.  Maybe it is baking cookies for your neighbor, buying the person’s meal behind you, visiting someone who is lonely, writing an encouraging letter to a friend, serving at the homeless shelter, having a good attitude, sharing Christ with someone….ANYTHING!  Even the apostle Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22, gives us a list of things we can do:

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. ¹³ Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. ¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not treat prophecies with contempt ²¹ but test them all; hold on to what is good, ²² reject every kind of evil.

I can’t think of any better examples of kids that sought to encourage and uplift others than Nate & Noah.  Nate was really into art and loved to draw things for people or teach them how to make some sort of art.  Noah loved to help people.  He would go with his family to give out food on Thanksgiving, was super excited to hand out Christmas gifts to kids who didn’t have any, and even helped me run my computer one day when I taught a missions lesson and didn’t have a computer operator.  These boys had sweet servant hearts and they pointed others to Jesus…they “Lived Like That!”

In Closing
To be honest, every day should be “Live Like That” Day.  We should always strive to grow in our walk with Christ by living like Him.  Our faith in Him should be more than the things we say and the songs we sing – we should always show others the light of Jesus  (I wrote about this in my last blog, click HERE to read it).  BUT let’s set aside this day, July 4...and every July 4 that follows...to strive and do something special or meaningful for someone to honor the legacy of Nate & Noah and ultimately to point others to Christ.   

“I wanna live like that and give it all I have, so that everything I say and do points to You!  If love is who I am, then this is where I stand.  Recklessly abandoned, never holding back.  I wanna live like that.  I wanna LIVE LIKE THAT!”

"Let Our Faith Be More Than Anthems..."

“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” - James 2:17

In my car the first three radio presets are to Christian music stations – K-Love, 106.9 The Light, and AirOne.  You can pretty well gather that if you see me singing my heart out in my car (not ashamed or embarrassed about that BTW), it’s probably to a Christian song.  All the songs I sing in church are Christian songs and I always try to pick ones that represent the lessons God is currently teaching me.   I love how Christian music artists can take the thoughts of my heart and put them into words.  These songs have a way of speaking to your soul.  They say what you are feeling and express what you’re going through and how God is in control of it all. 

Recently, however, I came across a line of one of these Christian songs that “struck a chord” with me (that pun was intended).  In the new Newsboys song, We Believe, there is a short line in the second verse that reads like this, “So let our faith be more than anthems, greater than the songs we sing.”  Goodness gracious…that is one loaded lyric.  When we’re listening to or singing songs about serving others (Matthew Wests’ Do Something), trusting God in hard times (Matt Redmond’s You Never Let Go), sharing Jesus with others (Britt Nicole’s The Lost Get Found), worshipping our Creator (Kari Jobe’s Revelation Song), or living like Christ (Casting Crown’s Lifesong) we have to make them more than just anthems of our heart – we HAVE to live them out. 

Think right now of your favorite Christian song.  Usually for me my favorite changes from week-to-week…but for now think of the one that comes to your mind first.  Sing it to yourself…it’s okay if you can’t sing, we can’t hear you :)  Okay, now analyze the lyrics you are singing.  Are you living those words out?  Do you believe them with your whole heart?  Is your faith more than this anthem…greater than this song you are singing? 

I’m just using the above songs as examples…any song that we sing in a service at church or at the top of our lungs in our car or shower apply to this thought.  We must put feet to our faith (which is evidenced by the lyrics of these songs we love) and make these anthems more than just words.  The book of James had to have inspired this lyric, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:17)  FOR SURE we cannot be saved by works alone, we are saved by our faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).  However as believers in Jesus, our works (which include our godly actions and lifestyle) show the world, especially unbelievers, that we believe Christ.  Our actions are the evidence of our faith.  Galatians 5:6 says, “When we place our faith in Christ Jesus…what is important is faith expressing itself in love.”  We don't need to keep our faith locked inside ourselves, we need to live it out!  My NLT Life Application Study Bible sums this up beautifully, “We cannot earn our salvation by serving and obeying God.  But such actions show that our commitment to God is real.  Deeds of loving service are not a substitute for, but rather a verification of, our faith in Christ” (pg. 2118).

Don’t be passive in your faith.  Yes, it’s awesome you believe in Jesus…but show that you believe in Him!  Be that light to the world.  Be that city on a hill.  “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16)  Let your faith be MORE THAN anthems and so much greater than the songs you sing.

#SaveSaeed this Father's Day

Stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. – 1 Corinthians 16:13

Tomorrow many will celebrate Father’s Day by celebrating with their dad.  They’ll give him home-made cards, gifts that are strangely shaped like necktie boxes and probably give him his favorite meal by grilling-out hamburgers or steaks.  There are others who will remember their fathers who have gone on before them – reminiscing about the memories they shared and looking at old videos and photos of their sweet father.  There is one family, however, who can’t do any of that.  They have to wait, wonder, and hope about their daddy.  Waiting for word that he is okay.  Wondering if he is in pain.  Hoping that God will bring him home to America.

The family I am referring to is the Abedini family.  Saeed Abedini – an Iranian-American citizen and father of two children and husband to Naghmeh – was arrested and imprisoned in Iran in 2012 by the Iranian government.  A former Muslim, who converted to Christianity and became a pastor, helped the growth of house churches in Iran.  In 2005 he and his wife moved to America and soon became citizens.  Saeed traveled back and forth to Iran to visit family and to also help in the continued growth of churches there.  In 2012, he went to Iran to work at an Iranian-approved orphanage, but was arrested and given and 8 year prison sentence.  The Baptist Press reports, “Reports of Saeed’s condition indicate Iranian authorities have tortured him, placed him in solitary confinement and pressured him to deny Christ.  Iranian prison officials have threatened to lengthen his sentence because he is leading fellow prisoners to faith in Jesus.” 

This courageous daddy has not seen his two small children for over two years.  He has missed milestones in their life, watching them grow up, and being able to protect them like any father would.  Although thousands of miles away, he is still teaching his children, however – as well as the rest of us.  He is teaching his children and the world to stand strong in faith of Christ.  In 1 Corinthians 16:13, Paul urges believers to “Stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.”  I can’t think of anyone more representative of this verse than Saeed.  He has not wavered or denounced his faith in Christ and although being tortured to the point of having to be hospitalized, he has remained strong – strong in his convictions and belief that Jesus is the Christ and that He lived, died, is resurrected, and offers a free gift of eternal life for anyone who believes that.  At the Southern Baptist Convention this past week, the Ethics & Religious Liberties Commission’s president, Russell Moore, spoke eloquently of Saeed’s bravery saying, "And at every point, the Iranian government seems to think that Saeed Abedini will get tired of all of this treatment and renounce his faith in Jesus Christ, and at every step no matter the beatings, no matter the imprisonment, no matter the exile, Saeed Abedini has confessed with that great cloud of witnesses that Jesus Christ is Lord." 

As horrified as we are about this grave injustice, persecution was foretold to us by Jesus Himself.  He said that as believers in Him, we will face persecution.  Obviously, it is different for everyone depending on location, ethnicity, circumstance, etc.  In John 15:18-20, Jesus said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.”  But Jesus goes on to promise HOPE to those being persecuted.  Matthew 5:11-12 says, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.”  Those Christians being persecuted today – at this very minute – are true heroes of the Christian faith.  Even though they know the danger they face, they continue to be courageous, stand strong, and proclaim Jesus every. single. second.  The rest of us have a lot to learn from these champions.

Throughout Saeed’s imprisonment, his wife, Naghmeh, has been his voice to the world.  She has publically spoken out for Saeed’s release to government officials, news stations, churches, the United Nations, and the list goes on and on.  During the ERLC’s report at the Southern Baptist Convention, they had Naghmeh come and receive an award of bravery for Saeed on his behalf.  As I personally watched her receive the award, I was truly inspired by her bravery and that of her husband’s.  Yes, I had heard Saeed’s story before that day.  Yes, I knew that he was being persecuted.  Yes, I knew that he was separated from his family.  But being literally 20 feet away from her and being energized by the words of Russell Moore, the story I had read about on the news became real.  I couldn’t bypass this story anymore.  After the report, the ERLC group walked off-stage and because I had to go off-stage too in order to make some copies of questions that had come from the floor, I took the opportunity to speak to Naghmeh.  Normally I wouldn’t do this because I don’t want to overstep my bounds and take advantage of where I am and what I am doing, but I felt so strongly that I needed to tell her I was praying for her and her family.  I tapped her on the shoulder, she turned, and I said, “Thank you for your bravery.  I’m praying for you and your family.”  She gently said, “Thank you, sister” and gave me a hug.  She didn’t have to do that, she could have just said thank you and moved on, but she took the time to be appreciative and thankful and that spoke such volumes to me.  This woman is a hero of the faith too…she is also standing strong, being courageous, and proclaiming Christ through her story.  She is truly inspirational.

I saw that Naghmeh was on Instagram and followed her just so I could keep track of what is going on with Saeed’s story and know specifically how to pray for her and her family.  Yesterday, she posted this photo and related it to Father’s Day.  I’m going honor Naghmeh’s request and take part, I hope you will too:

What can you do?  Pray.  Pray that God will bring Saeed home to his precious family.  Pray that he will be able to be treated by a doctor as he is very weak and ill from being tortured.  Pray also for the other persecuted Christians around the world – Saeed is just one of many who are experiencing the exact same situations because they won’t denounce Christ.  Secondly, you can contact your senators and congressmen to take steps in DC to facilitate Saeed’s release.  You can also keep this story and that of the persecuted church in the forefront of your mind and heart.  Inform other Christians about it, keep the chain of prayer and petition going.  Lastly, you can be inspired by Saeed and those like him around the world and stand up for Christ.  This world is getting crazier by the milli-second and there is going to be a point and time that you are going to have to stand up for your faith.  Know the Word, know your beliefs in Christ, and stand firm in them both.

As you spend time with or remembering your dad this Father’s Day, take a moment to remember the Abedini family and the bravery, strength, and courage that each one of them are exhibiting every single day.   

Sources:

http://www.bpnews.net/42759/erlc-honors-heroic-christians-at-sbc

http://www.bpnews.net/42674/abedini-threatened-with-more-jail-time-over-fruitful-gospel-witness-in-prison-wife-says