Safely Home

So I'm reading this novel by Randy Alcorn (christian based author - http://www.epm.org) titled 'Safely Home'. It's a book about the persecuted church in China. My Dad bought this book for me when he was up a few weeks ago. Although this is a fiction book with fiction characters, the story line of house churches in China and Christians imprisoned for their belief in our God is very real today.

What's so neat to me is how God uses a fiction book like this one, to teach me so many new things about who He is and how He opens my eyes to things in the world I miss so easily (sad to say). I really haven't ever been too interested in China for any reason and it's just not a place that comes to mind much. But in opening the website I often visit, http://www.christianitytoday.com, there's an article on exactly the human rights issues and persecuted church in China today!

The human rights issues in China, and the fact that I know their are real believers, brothers and sisters in Christ, who are being tortured and imprisoned for their faith...the reality of this has just really hit my heart. There are so many believers persecuted daily for their faith in many places of the world, and I'm ashamed to admit that I don't think of it very often. I am too comfortable in this country where I can worship my God freely and openly where ever I please. Where I can sing my heart out to God anywhere I feel and no one can arrest me for it. How is it that we can have all the freedom to worship and meet and pray together, yet it seems that when we do, it feels like sometimes the time together is not 'quality time' with God. Now I realize I would need to explain what 'quality' is in my mind, but I don't feel like getting into everything at this exact time. There are people in China right now (and all over the world) who are suffering for their faith in ways I would never imagine would happen. We take advantage of where we live today.

We are too comfortable in North America. We are amazingly blessed to live in our country and I really feel a need to pray for China, for the believers and nonbelievers there. For the people in the government there, that those in leadership would come to know who God is. That he would begin to work in the hearts of those that need Him the most in their lives to transform them and renew them through His grace.

We need to pray for those who are locked up and suffering for their faith. They are an amazing testimony to all believers, God bless them for their faithfulness. I only hope I can be so faithful.