The forced exile of
Christians and other religious minorities, the butchering of men, women, and
children by ISIS weighs heavy on my heart. So heavy. The eye-witness accounts
coming out of Iraq and the surrounding areas, for months now, plague me. I
cannot turn away from them. Reading their stories and looking at the
pictures are the only way I know to share in their pain and suffering with an
ocean separating us. Surely I'm not alone in believing that to ignore a
victim victimizes him, yet again.
Because of The Foundation for the Relief and Reconciliation of the Middle East and the ministry of Canon Andrew White, I learned of these events fairly early. The Middle East
has always been a volatile part of the world, but the violence has escalated
beyond comprehension. The circumstances, which I can only describe as
Hell unleashed, occupy my mind and prayers constantly. The unfathomable lack of response by the international community is maddening. The slow-to-speak, slow-to-humbly-pray, slow-to-act universal church is even more puzzling to me. I cannot shake the
pictures. I cannot stop imagining what it could possibly be like to
witness your four-year son old being cut in half, your husband beheaded. And I know I'm not
alone. Surely the Throne of God has been flooded continually with prayers
and tears! Especially those of the ones living and dying this way!
And we cry out,
"Why Lord?! How much longer, Lord?! Do something, Lord!"
I'm not asking for something for me. This is not a selfish prayer!
God did not answer our
collective prayers. The violence and sorrow continued. I was inconsolably discouraged.
For far too long, the
sleepless nights and the anxious days seemed to push me further from God, not closer. I was still
going to church and would open my Bible, but I would
not read my Bible with a submitted heart. I would feel that little nudge from
the Spirit to open and read, but I pushed it aside. It was the only way I knew how to get back at God.
Then one night as I lay
weeping, I told God I was mad at Him and I was sorry for it. That next morning,
I picked up where I left off in a study on Thessalonians 1 &2. The
day's lesson was entitled "Wrestling with Wrath".
This is what God had
waiting for me on this very day, in the middle of a study on Thessalonians: a
word from Revelation. Chapter 6, verses 9-11, to be exact.
“9When the Lamb
broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who
had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which
they had maintained;
10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O
Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on
those who dwell on the earth?”
11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they
were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who
were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.” (NASB)
The faithfulness of God stuns me.
The gentleness of God melts me.
His timing is perfect.
The martyred souls did not get an answer to “when”,
and neither did I. What they did get is our
Heavenly Father wrapping His arms around them, clothing them in His
righteousness and an invitation to receive His rest.
He offers the same comfort to me- to anyone who
would receive it. How foolish I was to push away the God who has
always loved me so well!
As I strive to be faithful to what God has called me
to do, I hope to keep this lesson fresh in my memory. The burden for those being persecuted and
oppressed is great. It is also not meant to be carried alone.
Until that Day of Judgment and Vengeance, I fall at
the feet of the One who saved me.
The One who will return.
“And I hear the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous
are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for
they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood
to drink. They deserve it.” And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord
God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” (Revelation 16: 5-7, NASB)
Amen and Amen.
______
Please consider giving tangible help to these who
need us so desperately. To learn how,
please contact:
To get a better understanding of what is going on,
please consider following Canon
Andrew White and Dr.
Sarah Ahmed, his co-laborer in Iraq on Facebook.
The Bible study referenced above is Children of the Day by Beth Moore,
published by LifeWay Press, 2014.
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