they know the cost

“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but
the form of every virtue at the testing point.”
C.S. LEWIS

You might know that an estimated 215 million Christ followers face persecution daily in the world. Every 6 minutes a follower of Jesus is killed for their faith. The two things they long for most is prayer and presence, they simply want us to be with them. So as we go we simply ask others to Pray that our Presence might encourage them in a most supernatural way. It is a Simple but very Humbling act to be with them. Just prior to leaving on this venture (I cannot tell you the place in this newsletter) we received this from a good friend: “Praying for you and be careful. The government (of where we were going) just made a decision benefiting another minority community and so things will be tense with the religious extremists. Be vigilant. Praying for you!”

I always find it interesting to be in a new place and a new culture. The contrasts are captivating. They loom large as one drives through this city and you see the wealth and the abject poverty and the juxtaposition between the two. Seeing the people move in and out of traffic driving tuk-tuks and motorcycles of every size and model weaving carelessly (and without caution) between objects much bigger and faster is like watching a circus. Taxis are in abundance and then there is The Bentley. Here and there you see The Bentley. Amidst the want there is the ostentatious, the “look at me, I’m not like them.” Really? You see families who desire to nurture their children and to have healthy friendships. You see people who long to be known and desire to be loved and respected. You see the financial poverty, but you see (in abundance) the poverty of the soul. You see the hopelessness and the despair, the fear and the shame regardless of what one drives. You see the longing for peace both internally and externally. BUT there is a light that shines like a beacon. It is a place surrounded by extremism and fear. It is a place that gives hope to the hopeless, confidence to the timid, worth to the cast-off’s, and faith to the wandering soul. It is a place, as my friend Kate so well expressed, where one could embrace the idea that “Fear and faith can share the same heart beat.” All are welcome, dreams and vision are nurtured, skills developed, and faith strengthened. All of this by a family who said “yes” in the face of great obstacles, threats, and costs. They said, “yes” to the risks that would threaten their safety and comfort. We would say, “but you didn’t have to.” They would say, “Yes, we must!”

In this amazing land of contrasts I have been with people who know Jesus is enough and I have been amongst a people group who would rather see these friends dead. They live their lives on the precipice of life and death and have a peace that is incredibly attractive and beautiful. I look out of the window of my room onto extreme poverty and a skyline faded by pollution. This is a land that has been populated for a thousand plus years, but a nation for less than 100 years. Beyond the geo-political landscape this is a hard and hostile place to Jesus. But in spite of that, there is an incredible work rising up surrounded by those who would want them dead. Islamic extremists rule and, so, ironically, this is not a place of peace, but I am with the peacemakers. It is awe-inspiring and remarkable. How would these peacemakers describe “The Church” in their land? Neglected, isolated, ignored, and forgotten…

His name means “Peace” because he was born on the day his country was granted independence. His work is to mentor and disciple the younger. He takes those that society rejects and they become the leaders. The persecuted are made to believe they are nothing by society, but the whole nation is being impacted by outcasts. It is these “rejected ones” who are rising up to become the experts in those areas that most affect their nation.

“When did persecution begin to flourish in your country?” Our friend, the man named “Peace”, stated, “I believe it’s when the church in The West weakened. They stopped praying and missions stopped being a priority.”

It was a Friday when we walked into a large room filled with women, a sampling of the “fruit” that has been produced by our friends’ efforts to rescue, empower, and advance the women of their culture. In their culture most women are dismissed and marginalized. As we sat down 12 women sang, “Bless the Lord Oh My Soul” in the language of their land. Later that evening we were asked to participate in the commissioning ceremony of 15 Seminarians. Most were men, but there were several women. When these precious few began the training process they knew the cost. As we laid hands upon them and prayed for them, many wept. Their tears were tears of joy not sorrow. It was one more step forward in advancing the kingdom and the Gospel of Jesus, “even unto death.”

Saturday evening another friend delivered the commencement address not only to the 30 undergraduates and 15 Seminarians, but also to a packed facility filled with political and religious leaders, families, and educational staff. I think it was less about what he said and more about his presence. The content of what he said was perfect and struck a deep cord within them, but it was the fact that he would travel so far on his dime for a short time just to be with them. They longed to shake his hand, feel his embrace, look into his eyes, and have a brief word with him.

There were 22 Pastors and Bishops from around their country in attendance that night. Not one of them had escaped persecution: bombings, church burnings, imprisonment, shootings, being followed by secret police, and losing parishioners to death. One of the Bishops walked over to me to shake my hand. As I reached out my hand, he lifted his right hand with the aid of his left because his right arm was damaged in one of the attacks on the church he pastors. He asked me if he could give me a hug? I said, “All day long…”

I was to speak to a church our last day in country, but was informed via text at 2:26AM that it was canceled due to high tensions and security risks. They are people with an extraordinary calling on their life that, for the most part, we would walk by on the street on any day and not know that they are the real heroes.

These people understand their calling. They know the cost and they smile with compassion at their enemies.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“To rejoice is to treasure a thing, to assess its value to you, to reflect on its beauty and importance until your heart rests in it and tastes the sweetness of it. Rejoicing’ is a way of praising God until the heart is sweetened and rested, and until it relaxes its grip on anything else it thinks that it needs.”
TIM KELLER

I am not a voracious reader. In fact, I really don’t like to read, BUT I love to listen. I love to listen to the stories of others. However, when I find that book that captures my heart, stretches my mind, or grabs my hand and takes me into the possibilities (the adventure) then I get lost in the words and the expressions and the nuances of the story. I love history and biography, and I love the way someone can unpack a complex idea and make it wonderfully simple, but just as powerful in its simplicity.

At the moment I am reading a number of books. I have just finished “Counterfeit Gods” by Tim Keller. It is not for the faint of heart. It is a book that cuts you open, but leaves you with immeasurable hope. One of the (MANY) takeaways from Keller’s book is the idea of “rejoicing.” To “rejoice” is far more than a platitude or a flippant, positive response. To “rejoice” is born out of a contemplative place. It is formed in times of quiet and “alone-ness.” Why? Because it is primarily in these places that one thinks deeply and honestly about what really matters most and about THE ONE who matters THE MOST. AND when we “rejoice” we begin to let go of the things that have held their grip on our heart (our lives) and then we can begin to find freedom to enter into the adventure and the possibilities that God is longing to take us into. Rejoice…