Wordsurfers
  • Home
    • About
  • Sermons
    • The Beatitudes
    • Parables
    • Fruits of the Spirit
    • The Seven Churches in Revelation
    • Living in Christ
    • The Gospel according to John
    • Daniel
    • Other Sermons
  • Publications
  • Thoughts
  • Key Readings
  • Prayers
  • "Quotes"
  • Gallery
  • Video

August 2014

8/8/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
This is the letter ‘nun’ from the Arabic alphabet.  Recently it has been daubed by militants on the houses of Christian families in Iraq, marking them as ‘Nazarenes’, followers of Jesus.  This left them vulnerable to brutal attack. 

Ironically, around the world, many are now adopting this symbol on social media sites and elsewhere as a mark of solidarity with their suffering sisters and brothers.  Many of us are proud to be associated with Christ our Saviour and Master, and His global people, the Church.

Yet as Christians and other minorities in countries around the world continue to suffer horrendous injustice and atrocity at the hands of neighbours, we may feel a crisis of faith.  Like the writer of Psalm 10 who cries to God to rouse Himself and act on the behalf of the helpless.  Or the man in Mark 9 who brings his demon-possessed son to Jesus for deliverance and healing, crying with desperate honesty, ‘I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!’

We may struggle to understand or accept some of what the Almighty seems to allow, but our hope is in One Who is ‘compassionate and gracious’ (Ps 103 v 8), Who will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smouldering wick (Isaiah 42 v 3), Who gave His only Son in grace and redeeming love, that ‘whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.’ (John 3 v 16)

Let us keep our faith firmly in our crucified, risen Lord, and pray for faith, courage and His comfort for victims of oppression everywhere.  And in accordance with His teaching and example, let us pray for our enemies – grace, enlightenment and deliverance from their violent madness. 

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.