Persecution!

Sometimes I get so caught up in praying for, and seeking to support, the persecuted church in over fifty countries around the world (and would that many more would join with me!) that I forget that persecution is actually something to which every true follower of Jesus is liable! Writing to the young Timothy, the apostle Paul said that "... everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (II Tim.3:12, NLT)

Recent months, and even years, have seen an increasing intolerance - even an active antagonism - towards those, here in the UK, who would dare to stand up and be counted for the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; those who would be so bold as to stand up for Biblical values in a society that has been, in fact, built upon those very values!

I recently received an 'open letter' in which the author pointed out that it is shameful "... that our society can chastise Christians for merely giving a private opinion about homosexuality, yet a government-funded body can refer to anyone who disagrees with the adoption of children by gay (sic) couples as 'retarded homophobes'...". This latter quotation is taken from an official publication of The British Association for Adoption and Fostering which is apparently less concerned about the eventual outcome of such an unnatural 'family life' for the children involved, than they are about verbally abusing those of us who hold the view that such an arrangement is positively harmful for those children - and there is, of course, well-documented evidence such as the homosexual 'couple' who were found to be abusing the children that the local authority had, so conveniently, placed in their care! (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=33a_1212786490).

There is a similar level of intolerance against a Christian nurse who offered to pray for a patient; a Christian Registrar who asked to be excused from officiating at so-called 'gay' civil partnership ceremonies; another who wore a simple cross around her neck; a man arrested, and charged with using 'threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour', for distributing leaflets that contained quotations from the Bible that state, clearly, that homosexual activity is sinful.

And the list could go on, and on! We may not, yet, in this country (UK) be faced with the kind of persecution that followers of Jesus experience in N.Korea, Burma, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Northern Nigeria, Pakistan, etc., etc. However, the words of Paul may be a timely reminder that believers in the 'West' should not become complacent.

However, we do have the confidence that the Eternal "God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea." (Ps.46:1-2)
Hallelujah!