Inconvenience, Suffering, & Thankfulness to God

At times planting a new church can be difficult: setting up chairs and sound systems and such, rearranging all of our Sunday school classrooms every week , cleaning up after the service, transporting this and that to and fro, wondering if we’ll ever have a place to call our own. But our inconveniences are really nothing when compared to what other believers around the world are enduring. Consider this recent report from Voice of the Martyrs:

“Eritrean gospel singer, Helen Berhane, who was released from prison in November 2006 after being detained in Eritrea for two years without charge, has been granted asylum in Denmark. Berhane and her daughter arrived in Denmark on October 19, after spending 11 months in Sudan.

“Her health remains extremely poor, due to the physical suffering she experienced during her detention. She cannot walk without assistance. During Berhane's detention, she was held for extended periods of time in shipping containers and tortured several times by authorities in an effort to force her to recant her faith.

“Thank God that Berhane has found a safe place to live. Praise Him for her faithfulness. Pray for God's continued protection and provision for her. Ask Him to give her direction and wisdom, so she can continue serving Him. Pray for believers in Eritrea who face persecution and suffering for the sake of their faith in Jesus Christ.”

The report ended with a reference to Psalm 84:11; I have included the fuller context here: “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!” (Psalm 84:10-12)

Learning to be thankful to God with you,
Pastor Charlie