an awakening

Realize that my last post was meant to be a funny one. However, I got a calendar in the mail today from Voice of the Marytrs. It's an amazing calendar, but it brought up a beautiful point.

The picture for May is of a Chinese Christian whose face is bruised from being beaten by police. The corresponding verse for this picture is Philippians 1:14 that reads, "Many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." Oh yeah, the watermark across the bottom of the picture says "bold."

Yeah, I can joke about the modern day pleasures I enjoy here in a private, American, Chrisitian college. And, I'm not attempting an argument that those things are evil. It just seems that these passing pleasures trump the desire to posses the faith required of me and prevent me from being "much more bold to speak the word without fear."

Yet, as I write this, the TV's on and the music is playing. I don't know why silence is so terrible - why I'm so afraid to sit with God in the way Christians who are removed from the Western world do. I want to have the faith of Christians in Sudan, North Korea, China, and Sri Lanka.

Father, help me realize that this 'waging war' will not disappear outside of the glory of heaven. Make me aware of the enemy who is out to destroy my hope and rob me of my joy. Please, give daily the power and grace to stand strong in the face of a culture that detests silence and discourages boldness of faith. Make me aware of the sufferings of Christ and the great hope and serious responsibilities those sufferings bring. For the glory of Your name.