There was another reminder of this truth in the news this week, as we learned about an Iranian pastor who is facing execution for not recanting his faith in Jesus. He has a wife and two boys and, presumably, a church who love him. But he is more enamored of Jesus and is willing to stake his very life and existence upon the claims of the gospel. May we be the same!
My kids and I are studying early church history right now, so this news story came right as we read of early persecutions under Roman emperors. We took time to pray for this family (hits a bit close to home, since we are a pastor’s family), for the pastor to be bold and to see Jesus as Stephen did, for the boys to grow up to be bold Christians who don’t fear men, for protection and provision for his wife and church.
It’s just a reminder that we are not at home yet. Are we living as if that reality is really real?!
As We Walk Together 