cubicles

“When did we start believing that God wants to send us to safe places to do easy things? That faithfulness is holding the fort? That playing it safe is safe? That there is any greater privilege than sacrifice? That radical is anything but normal? Jesus didn’t die to keep us safe. He died to make us dangerous.”
MARK BATTERSON

The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia visited the Coptic Pope during the week we were in Cairo. The Crown Prince told the Pope that Christians were Muslim’s best friends. The Pope, puzzled by his comment, asked why he would say this? The Crown Prince said that when Muslim extremists kill the Christians, the Christians forgive the Muslim extremists and love them. Muslims are drawn to this commitment of love and forgiveness and they are beginning to press into Jesus.

“What did you experience standing in the worship service at St Peter’s knowing a short time ago 29 people were martyred worshipping just like you?” asked by my friend, A**r

We walked into the worship service at St Peter’s Church, a service that was full of people focused on their rituals, traditions, and their Savior, Jesus. I’m sure that the atmosphere and focus was much the same as that December 11th day 15 months before. AND so it was for us as we were directed to stand in the back of the sanctuary. About 10 minutes went by when several in the fellowship pointed out the spot where the bombing took place. Though most of the damage was repaired there were still visible reminders where the bomb’s blast had left its scars. The spot they pointed out was where we were standing. Twenty-seven women and two men died that day on that spot, the spot where we stood.

After the service we met M****m who’s husband, N***l, was killed that December day. H**y, our guide, directed us through St. Peter’s. He lost many Friends on that December 11th day (2016). H**y took us to “the Hall of Martyrs.” We stood before the cubicles that held the neatly folded clothing they had died in and their individual pictures with their names intricately engraved on gold labels. But they were not the only ones. Scores of other pictures and remnants of clothing lined the rooms to honor and remember the “others” that had been martyred in recent years. There were rows and rows of individuals whose stories WE will never begin to know. Stories like those of the 21 men beheaded on the shores of The Mediterranean Sea on February 12th of 2015 because they would not renounce the name of Jesus.

BUT there was the 30 feet of empty cubicles. We asked why these were there? Their response was one of resolve and one that best expresses their lives as followers of Jesus: “These empty cubicles are here because we know there will be more lives taken; there will
be others.”

So, what “did we experience that day in St Peter’s Church?” I can only answer for myself. I was reminded that this life we live is for Jesus and that He is enough and He is worth it. But I also know that where I live the cubicles are empty and the reminders are few of what it can really cost one to follow Jesus. There are few reminders because there are no cubicles.