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Shahad’s big brown eyes pooled with tears.  I wondered if my question had gone too far.  He paused, looked down at his folded hands, and then said, “It is not easy to be a Christian in Pakistan.  I can never go back.”  

 

As Shahad studied his creased palms, I looked around at the rest of the people in the small, third-floor apartment.  The thirty of us were from seven nations, and God had brought us together for a prayer and worship night.  That evening, I heard stories of persecution that I was accustomed to reading about only in books.  I heard of death threats for formerly Muslim converts, of being followed by religious police, of covert discipleship meetings in remote villages, and of secret baptisms.  I heard of how Faro was kicked out of Pakistan, and of how the government dissolved his marriage when it was discovered he was attending a Christian fellowship.  
Our Praise and Worship Night
I have always known that there are Christians around the world suffering immensely for the sake of the gospel.  It is altogether different to sit with these brothers and sisters, to watch the heartache in their eyes as they recount painful stories, and to witness their grateful worship.  It was a unique privilege for someone whose most intense “sufferings” include social ostracization.  The truth of Romans 8:35-39 was confirmed loud and clear:

In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.


  Christ is the solid rock on which we stand.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God that Christ purchased for us.  We can be crushed by sickness, the loss of a family member, or be ridiculed for our faith.  We can endure poverty, weariness, and all the little frustrations of life, because nothing can separate us from the love of God.  What a firm foundation we have!  May we grasp this promise and be unshakable, unmovable, and unoffendable people!

When Shahad finished sharing his story, I asked if he had ever thought about not being a Christian.  He smiled, looked me in the eyes, and said, “No matter what, it is good to be a Christian!”


Amen!