The Gift or The Giver?

“Hurry, Mathias!”

He did not want to hurry for hurrying meant hope. He accepted his fate of wandering and begging outside the village to survive. Resentment replaced his wife’s memory and anger, the longing for her touch.

Signs of sickness appeared two months into marriage and he was declared unclean six weeks later. His heart died when she left. It was too painful to dream about life with her again.

Mathias surveyed his nine friends. Disfigured hands and feet, hobbled along the dusty road. Expectation was in their strides as they quickened their shuffle, but Mathias’ fearful heart prevented him from moving faster.

“Mathias! Hurry before Jesus goes into the village! He could heal us!”

“Even if He could, why would He heal me?” Mathias wondered. If the rumor of Jesus looking into souls was true, one glimpse into Mathias’ would turn Him away. The love in his heart had been overtaken with bitterness. He detested life, even the Life Giver.

As they topped a sandy mound some distance away from the gate, Mathias spotted Jesus. A caravan of people followed Him, yet He clearly stood out. Nine lepers cried, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"

Mathias remained silent. Jesus turned and held Mathias’ eyes. Power and humility, love and justice, holiness and understanding all met together in His face. If healing was possible, this Man could provide it. Suppressed hope began to grow.

"Go, show yourselves to the priests." Jesus said. Mathias held out trembling hands, but his heart sank. No change. Jesus disappeared into the village.

Confusion reigned. “Show ourselves to the priests? But we are still lepers! We will be carried out to be stoned!”

Peace and a desire to obey the Man with hope in His eyes flooded Mathias. “Let’s go.”

He started toward the village, prepared to walk alone before hearing the shuffling of the other nine following. The straggler had become the leader.

The journey was long and hearts heavy as they realized what Jesus had requested. As they neared the village steps became more deliberate. Mathias stopped. Would Jesus be inside? Would healing come when He saw they were willing to risk everything to receive it?

Oblivious to the beggars witnessing the scene, Mathias focused on Jesus and walked inside. As he did, the pain lessoned, his body straightened. He glimpsed new skin briefly before his eyes filled with tears. Dropping to his knees, he gratefully weeps.

Barely aware of the surrounding commotion, the other nine realize they are healed. Excitement turns to urgency as they rush home to wives and children. The whole way they talked about the One who gave them their lives back.

While they enjoyed the gift, Mathias was captivated by the Giver. Home could wait. He stood and ran determined to find Jesus.

The exhilaration of running thrilled Mathias. He cried for Jesus and praised God as if they were One! A crowd split; there stood Jesus. Never slowing, he threw himself into Jesus’ feet sobbing, “Thank you!”

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." Luke 17: 11- 19

Remember the Prisoners

“Remember the prisoners, as though you were in prison with them and the mistreated as though you yourself were suffering bodily.” Hebrews 13:3

Walking into church late with head held high, her high heels click on the porcelain tile as she waves to friends and grabs a cup of gourmet coffee before stepping inside the packed worship center. She steps past the state of the art sound equipment and plops down in a cushioned chair as she passively listens to her Pastor teach eloquently from the stage. A gifted speaker, with many years of study and two degrees, he is trained to hold the audience’s attention. Yet she still finds her mind wandering. She glances at her watch - a to-do list waiting at home, bills to pay, dad in the hospital, son’s struggling grades. Finally the sermon ends and a video plays, holding her full attention for the first time this morning. The hair on her arm stands up as the dramatic words express God’s love. She claps her hands and leaves satisfied. In her luxury SUV she hits a quick drive through before heading to the grocery store and then home to clean her house for Bible study tomorrow night. Never stopping to relish the privilege she has, she is unaware of over 200 million Christians around the world who daily face persecution and death for a faith much of America takes for granted.

Nearly 70 percent of the world’s population live in countries with restrictions on simple freedoms we enjoy in abundance - owning a Bible, attending church or openly confessing to be a Christian. They have no surplus of Bibles on bookstores shelves. They are confiscated and banned. Churches are either government run or forced to meet underground at high risk. Christians are separated from family, beaten, brainwashed, imprisoned and killed. How difficult to imagine life where the greatest motivation for living is also a basis for death. What does faith look like under such a weight?

If you look beyond the scars of the persecuted a beautiful faith is revealed. One that has been refined by fire and worth more than gold, you uncover a commitment that looks much like Jesus’. You find a commitment to obey the Father through great physical pain. A love that survives tests of torture and forgives the torturer. Boldness in sharing Jesus with presence of fear and joy poured out through song inside prison cells. Yet the persecuted would not trade one of these things for mediocre faith. They know in accepting Christ they are trading their comfort in this life for their reward in another. “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) Their powerful testimonies leave a permanent imprint on the earth.

Currently Pakistani Christians are being accused of blasphemy, which in Pakistan is crime punishable by death. An Iranian pastor faces execution due to a crackdown on the growing Protestant church movement in the Islamic nation. Eight Christians were killed in Nigeria this week. A girl in India was poisoned by her family after accepting Christ. And similar headlines continue throughout 60 countries spread out over 5 continents. The increasing numbers of Christians martyred each year towers near 200,000. These precious people take the words of Jesus seriously: “The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Anyone finding his life will lose it, and anyone losing his life because of me will find it.” (Matthew 10:37-39). They understand the cost of following Jesus and they love Him more than life.

Let us never forget these men, women and children are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are called to be one – one body. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope at your calling;” (Ephesians 4:4-5). They are not in this battle to survive, they are in it to advance God’s kingdom and they need our support. What can we, the American church, do to help our hurting family?

If the persecuted answered this question, they would quickly ask for prayer – specific prayer calling on the Lord for deliverance, endurance and love for the ones mistreating them. Many websites contain information on how to pray over the churches. Others focus on individuals and allow you the privilege to pray for their needs. Operationworld.org is an excellent resource, detailing updated information on the gospel working in every nation and sharing prayer requests from every country. It is all laid out in a daily format that will transform your prayer life and possibly change the world.

They would also request we show our concern by involvement in ministries supporting our persecuted body. Voice of the Martyrs is one of many organizations offering the opportunity to write a word of encouragement to the prisoners. Writing to government officials on behalf of the persecuted is also a great need. Become aware and make others aware. Speak out for those who cannot. And give. Bibles are priceless in restricted countries and families of prisoners are starving. We who have much are blessed to be a blessing. Let our gratefulness spur our giving.

Maybe even consider the call to go. The bored and privileged church attendee went and changed more than her perspective. It changed her life and the lives of those around her.

After a twenty-two hour plane ride and high heels left at home, she steadies her swollen feet as her eyes adjust to the darkness. More than the night sky darkens this country - Communism has enclosed it for years. Her stomach growls and she remembers the spiritual hunger of this nation. The hour is late, but with no time to waste; her small group of Americans locates “the friend” and proceeds down darkened streets. Once her sense of direction is completely lost, she is hurried up three flights of stairs and into a tiny apartment. Wall to wall people fill the place from the kitchen to the bathroom, people sit and look at them ready to receive God’s Word. Men, women and children, all there at risk of their lives, but determined to make what time they have count to the fullest. As soon as her mouth opens all eye contact is lost as each person readies themselves to take fierce notes. Opportunities like this are few. Tears roll down her cheeks as she feels God’s presence in that room more than she ever had in her multimillion dollar worship center half a world away. She prays she never forgets this moment. And never again overlooks these precious soldiers of Christ ready to give their all.

Running

Running with chains that I cannot undo, I stumble. Pulling them behind requires more of me than I can lose. Fear keeps me from liberty. I do not believe I can let go. Bleeding and broken I fall screaming for freedom. Yearning to run unhindered, I release my hurt and allow the Healer to wash it in Truth. I rise and run with new passion. As my breath leaves me, His breath fills me and I pour out. I glimpse the finish line, but I still have more to give. This race demands my all. I push harder, desiring to know Him more. I want only to come to the end completely spent, arms lifted in surrender. In losing myself, I achieve victory. In dying I find life. At last I run into the arms of my Savior. Completely His and for His glory, I run only for Him.

My Testimony (In 294 Words)

While attending VBS at age 5, I asked Jesus to come into my heart. He answered my prayer; however, I did not fully comprehend how to have a relationship with Him. Fear ruled over my thoughts as I somehow came to believe salvation depended on me. I lived in a frustrating cycle of failure. At age 13, I began attending church and again surrendered my life to Christ. This time, I found strength and friendship in Him. In high school, God gave me a vision where I saw myself stumbling into His throne room wearing only filthy rags. I understood this to be a call to missions, and embraced the call with my whole being. I believed my life would not be easy but spent on the poor and the needy. To such an extent, I nearly missed marrying my husband. His stable career seemed to promise me an effortless life. Despite that, God gave me peace to wed this man I loved dearly. I surprised myself with how quickly I settled into the American life I never thought I would live. We bought a house and moved to a small town where I pictured raising our family. Thankfully, God had other plans. My husband lost his stable job and moved us to big city several hours away. My body moved with him, yet my rebellious heart remained distant. Always faithful, God used that painful time to teach me and give me roots in His Word. He taught me about grace and forgiveness. Together my husband and I learned to trust God and depend on Him in new ways. I do not know the Lord’s plans or all His call on my life will require. Still, whatever He asks, I pray I answer “yes.”