“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”
John 17:14 English Standard Version

It might feel like we Christians are from the moon. Jesus even states that we “are not of the world.” This feeling of being from the moon or some other planet can both come from within us or be generated by others.

Christians are often marginalized. People do not want the Christian voice to speak out the message of God’s love in Jesus. Though their bumper stickers might call for everyone to celebrate diversity, coexist and be tolerant, there are many people who are not open-minded toward the gospel.

However, we don’t necessarily need someone else to tell us that we’re from the moon – we do a pretty good job of that ourselves. We stay hidden in the shadows, believing that we should never talk about our faith. We don’t want to offend another person.

The world of which Jesus speaks is not the physical world around us, but it is everything that stands in opposition to the message of God’s love in Jesus. It’s this world that hates us because it first hated him.

Today we remember those Christians who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Their churches have been burned, their loved ones imprisoned, and some have suffered death for the name of Jesus.

Not only do we remember these Christians, we weep with them and we pray for them. When their churches are burned, our churches are burned. When their loved ones are imprisoned, we are imprisoned. When they die, we die. We are the body of Christ and when one part of the body hurts, the entire body hurts.

I beg you today to pray for your bothers and sisters in Christ who understand the truth of Jesus’ words, who know the power of the world’s hatred. Pray for their protection and release from persecution.

All they want is to freely worship Jesus.

Text and Picture Copyright Douglas P Brauner