Home Alone

Last night Joshua's grade had a sleepover at the Science Museum, and Doug went with them. Anna also had a slumber party, so that left me home alone.

While I do occasionally enjoy having time to myself, I don't sleep well at night when I am alone. It goes back to my childhood, and growing up in the middle of a dangerous civil war.

I have vivid memories of laying exhausted in my bed night after night, listening deep into the stillness. The darkness was terrifying to me. I expected one night to wake up to the sound of crashing glass, as terrorists came to torture and kill my family.

Thankfully, God protected us through those years, although we lost several close friends. But I still have vivid nightmares and don't really like nightime much.

Last night, as I lay listening once again for unfamiliar sounds in the dark, I tried to calm my mind with the gamet of memory verses that have sustained me through the years. "I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone make me dwell in safety."--Psalm 4:8, "I will never leave you or forsake you."--Hebrews 13:5, "From the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy."--Psalm 61:2-3.

But as I recited those verses, I realized, too, that they do not guarantee us physically safety and protection. In fact, the Bible is clear in stating that if we choose to live godly lives, we WILL be persecuted in one way or another.

That got me thinking and praying for my brothers and sisters around the world, who are being physically persecuted and killed. They are facing horrific circumstances that I can hardly even imagine. I'm sure they also experience dread and fear. But their terror becomes reality. I cannot comprehend what it must be like to have to look evil in the face and endure it. My heart just began to break for them.

I know at some level, that God must give them a supernatural peace for that moment in time. That is the hope I cling to. Although my flesh desperately cringes at the thought of persecution, on a spiritual level I understand that it is something all of us must be willing to embrace if God chooses to allow that in our lives.

But I also know that it will all be over soon, and there will be no more suffering, dying, evil and terror in eternity. Looking back on it, this time on earth will seem as nothing. We will be able to live in peace and security without ever having to face the fear and dread again.

In the meantime, though, we need to be praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters. God does not take their sacrifice lightly. Psalm 116:15 tells us "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones." It breaks His heart, just as it breaks the hearts of those who love them.

"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body."--Hebrews 13:3. Let's love our persecuted siblings as we love ourselves, with the same fervor, and concern, and prayerfulness.

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