O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

   - Psalm 10.17, 18

"In our minds, therefore, we must share the sufferings of our brothers, our fellow-members, who are placed in unendurable danger; and we must pray to the Lord for them.”

   - Columba (Colum Cille) in Adomnán, Life of Columba, Irish, 7th century

Christians continue to suffer for their faith in Jesus Christ. In China, parts of India, Southeast Asia, Cuba, in the Muslim world, and in parts of Africa, being a Christian is more than a struggle; it can be a dangerous way of life. 

The one-Sunday-a-year service for the persecuted Church, currently the fashion among American evangelicals, is a mockery of what we owe to our fellow-believers. The persecuted brethren are as much a part of our lives as any church member we’ve known for years. We must not fail to pray for them every day, and to enter into their sufferings, if only in our minds.

But is there more? Can we do anything, for example, to impress corporations and our federal government that we expect them to be considerate of the religious freedoms of oppressed believers? If Christians began to make their voices known in large numbers on behalf of the persecuted Church, it’s a safe bet we’d see policy changes enacted in the realm of international relations.

Our government is comfortable overlooking the persecution of Christians as long as no one is confronting them with the situation. If we begin to pray daily for the persecuted Church, soon enough the Lord will make this a true burden on our hearts. When that happens, perhaps we’ll discover other ways of seeking to bring relief to our fellow believers and room for the Gospel to thrive.

We can do something. We can make a difference.

But will we?

Psalm 10.4, 5 (Aberystwyth: “Jesus, Lover of My Soul”)
Wicked men in boastful pride seek not, Lord, Your glorious face.
To their shame and great disgrace, they Your existence have denied.
Still they prosper every day; from their sight on high concealed,
Your great wrath shall be revealed on their every word and way.

Lord, let us lay down whatever we love apart from Christ, for Christ’s sake, including our time, our treasure, our peace, and our security, it we can by so doing advance the cause of Your Kingdom and the wellbeing of Your people. Adapted from Columbanus, Sermon X