Lately I've been reading books of our brothers and sisters in Christ who have suffered for Him yet still have emerged victorious, thus their testimonies. I just couldn't picture myself being in their shoes.
What if I was the one getting chased at by authorities? Or what if it was my life being threatened by the families of those I have shared the gospel to? Will I be able to endure as much as these Christians did? Will I go on the race set out for me? Or will I deny my faith like some did?
Living in Iligan City is a blessing enough for me. Sharing the gospel and praying in public is not even prohibited unlike other countries, thus giving me so much opportunity to proclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. What are we doing with this freedom to share? Many Christians do not even bother to share the gospel just because they believe it might be not really necessary in a country such as the Philippines. However, despite our country's claims on Christianity, there are still millions who do not know who Jesus really is, aside from what they hear on Christmas carols or what they see on posters (that portrait of that sad-looking man many call Jesus). Isn't it sad? Doesn't it pain us to look at these people around us who didn't even think they might not be going to heaven? God is giving us, the ones who know, this task to tell the world!
Tell the world that Jesus lives!
Tell the world that
Tell the world that
Tell the world that He died for them
Tell the world that He lives again
I, myself, have been singing this song for years now, and thinking about it, it's such a shame for those first years I sang this almost every Sunday (and even everyday) and didn't even actually do it. Like other "Christians", I was convinced there were other people who could do the evangelism - the missionaries. I was too naive. Too confident of my not being part of it. "Nuh-uh, not me," my younger self said, "Missions and Aine do not seem to go well together. I'm not good in talking about these things! I think I'll just stick to singing during services. I could do that." And there goes my puberty and teenage years into waste.
That one campus raid with Daiza and Aimae was one of the moments that truly pained me and opened my eyes as to what the conditions of most nominal Christians in the Philippines are in. They were ten girls sitting around one long table and the three of us took turns explaining the gospel. My heart had not really felt that heaviness until Daiza asked them if all human beings are children of God. Guess what. Everyone answered YES. I was expecting that, though.
"Why?" Daiza asked.
"Because," they replied in chorus, "we were all created by Him, and that means He is our Father and we are His children!" They were so happy and sure with their answers that you could just not imagine their faces when Daiza responded with a compassionate smile before saying, "What if I tell you that not all are called His children?"
I looked at their expressions. They were crushed. They didn't know what to do. All their life they were taught that no matter what they do, and no matter how much they deny Him, they were God's children and would always be His children. Most didn't even understand why Jesus died on the cross for us when they thought they could get to heaven by not doing "big" sins and by regularly attending the church.
What had I been doing? What had we been doing all this time, interacting with the people who needed Jesus? What have we done with this great opportunity the Lord has granted us?
I remember I refused to share Jesus to my high school best friends before because I feared they would hate me for implying the faith they had been clinging to was not the truth. Once, during lunch, I tried, but one of my best friends shushed me and told us not to continue with the conversation unless we would want to proceed to an argument. I did remain silent and convinced myself that at least I tried. Another time, a guy classmate in high school proudly said he'd rather end up in hell because he believes more people would be there. "It would be more fun! Like a party!" he exclaimed to another guy bud. I quickly countered him and told him what it really was like in hell, and how much better it was in heaven. As I gave him details, he, being one of the boys who teased me greatly, started arguing with me and telling me things that hurt me so much, I ended up crying (I was just eleven, I think). Afterwards he just mimicked me and I pretty much avoided the topic with him for the rest of the year. (We're still good friends though, and I hope I'd have the chance to talk with him again)
I greatly regretted the moments I allowed to slip because of cowardice. I let possible embarrassment and insults be the filter that didn't allow this truth inside me to flow towards the people that had surrounded me.
My mom loves to tell me the story of when I wouldn't stop sharing the gospel to my childhood friend, Macky when I was only four. We had just been told of the gospel by our ABC's supervisor and wouldn't you know it, I was too excited to share it to someone else that I repeated it a lot of times to Macky when our parents met for the usual get-together! Until now, I couldn't help but laugh when I remember my mom telling me Macky got so tired of it that he told me to stop talking. LOL.
As we grow up, the filters increase, giving us more reasons to not share the truth. These filters convince us at the same time that if we are not able to do it, God might probably find another instrument. What had happened to the child of God with that childlike faith? What had happened to our commitment? I know there are a lot of us that struggle with this, because I, myself, find it hard to share, especially to my relatives and closest friends who still have not known the truth. But it is a challenge that the Lord is giving us, isn't it? What is there to be afraid of? Embarrassment? Possible arguments? Persecution? Insults?
Brothers and Sisters, let us remember the other Christians all around the world going through much harder times than we are in. They had been tortured by authorities and even by their own families! They were thrown to dirty prison cells. They were flogged. They were beaten to paralysis, and so much more that the difficulties we might be facing today for the Lord might not even be a hundredth of what they are going through. Could you imagine how blessed we are?
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." Romans 1:16
Brother Yun (The Heavenly Man) said, "We're not called to live by human reason. All that matters is obedience to God's Word and His leading in our lives. If God says go, we'll go. If He says stay, we'll stay. When we are in His will, we are in the safest place in the world."
Never worry, brethren, because no matter what happens, the Lord would certainly be with you. :)
Let us claim victory over the unreached through Christ Jesus our Lord. Spread His love. <3
May the Lord bless you.
xx, Aine
P.S.
Brothers and Sisters that have just read this blog entry, I urge you to pray for our fellow Christians suffering for the Lord. Some of them might be in prison, and some might be hiding for their lives. Please pray for the Lord's protection to be upon them. Another thing, please pray for provisions for these brothers and sisters. A number of them could barely get by, financially, and some might not even have a roof over their heads or a loaf of bread to satisfy their starving stomachs. Most importantly, please pray for the Holy Spirit to continue working in them, granting comfort, encouragement, joy, strength, and peace, wherever they are led to. :)