As though bound with them

Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also. – Hebrews 13.3

All over the world today believers are suffering simply because they name the name of Christ. This is nothing new – we have been persecuted since day one. There have been spells and locations where the persecution has been especially severe. We think of the early Christians in Rome. We think of non-conforming Christians persecuted by others who called themselves ‘Christian.’ Many of us well remember the persecution of Christians under communism. Of course there are many, many other times, but time fails us to speak of all of them.

I don’t know all the details, but several reliable organisations that deal with persecution are telling us that in the last couple of years persecution is expanding at a terrible rate. Some are saying that more Christians are dying for their faith now than at any time in history. More access to more information allows us to know more than we ever have about persecution.

In very recent history Christians, indeed anyone who even has a Christian background of any sort, have been ordered to leave or die in areas controlled by the Muslim terror organisation ISIS. Their homes are marked with an Arabic symbol for ‘Nazarene’ much as Jews were marked with the Star of David.

I can’t even imagine that kind of life. I can’t imagine my brethren being locked in cages, imprisoned in shipping containers, deprived of food and water, suffering all kinds of unimaginable torture, and even dying violent and brutal deaths.

And they don’t do this because they have information an enemy needs. There don’t do this because they are political enemies. They don’t do this because they are a terrorist threat. They do it simple because they name the name of Christ.

There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot we can do. Praise God for the brave Christians who are trying to intervene and help out in a very physical way. I thank God for their bravery.

Not all of us are going to do that. Not all of us can. But we can pray for them and we can pray for them with firm and dedicated hearts. Our goal ought to be to pray with and for them like we were right there in chains by their sides.

Our church prays for believers in 52 places around the world where Christians suffer some sort of persecution. Every Sunday we post a slide with that country with basic info on how Christians suffer.

I hope that never gets old or mundane – I want to always remember my brethren who are suffering for the cause of Christ. May God keep me always remembering them.