Persecuted Christian Church Communion Meditation

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.Matthew 5:43-45

This is a very difficult command to follow, especially when

Christians are considered the most persecuted faith group in the

world.  For example Since the removal of the Muslim 

Brotherhood and Mohammad Morsi from power in Egypt 

six weeks ago, there has been a backlash against Christians

across the country, there has been the burning of homes, 

churches and murder of even Christian Children.  In Syria, 

civil war has claimed and estimated 100,000 lives.  

Boko Haram, an Islamist terrorist organization which 

wants to spread strict Sharia Law throughout

Nigeria, continues its mayhem in northern Nigeria.  Over the past

few months Boko Haram has directed its attacks on schools,

which has resulted in the death of dozens of innocent

children.

North Korea is the worst place in the world to be a Christian. 

It has been No. 1 on the Open Doors’ World Watch List of 

the worst persecutors of Christians for 11 years in a row. 

And for good reason!

Believers and three generations of their family can be 

put in awful political prison camps for simply being 

caught with a Bible or mentioning the name of Jesus. In 

fact, 50,000 to 70,000 of the estimated 200,000 in the 

gulags are Christians.

This has caused Brother Andrew to Say: “It seems like 

we Christians have lists of people we don’t want to see in 

heaven.” 

But later on he gave insight into how we can start 

practicing loving our enemies. When he said; it always 

starts with prayer.

“If you want to help people, you must first pray that the 

Lord Jesus will open your eyes to His Word; that He will fill 

your heart with compassion and then you must be obedient. 

In Matthew 7:12 it says, ‘So In everything, do to others what 

you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law 

and the Prophets.’

“So go to friend and enemy and treat them as you would 

like to be treated yourself. Actually, enemies do not exist. 

When I'm talking to people who kill others, I don't see a 

terrorist in front of me. I see a man who needs Jesus. 

We have to meet our so-called enemiesat a specific 

place – at the foot of the cross.

Do we Christians actually understand that we are 

the only ones

with a message of hope in any conflict whatsoever? No single

religious belief can do that.”

How do North Koreans respond to persecution? Joo Eun, 38, is a

North Korean refugee who was about to be sold into marriage in

China, but instead escaped and found Jesus while living with a

Christian family. Joo Eun and her group are   praying that Kim

Jong-Un will change and reform North Korea, and he will be an

instrument in God’s hands. “God, save Kim Jong-Un,” she

exclaims.

Let their daily prayer become ours as well. Not only for Kim Jong-

Un but such persecutors as Abuakar Shekau (Boko Haram in

Nigeria), Mullah Omar (Taliban leader in Afghanistan), Isaias

Afewerke (president of Eritrea) and Omar Al-Bashir (president of

Sudan).

We celebrate on a weekly basis the Lord’s supper.  If we partake

of the Lord’s supper in a worthy manner, it means we begin to

love others as Jesus has loved us.  Let us join the persecuted and

pray for our enemies as we partake in the Lord’s supper.

(http://www.religiontoday.com/columnists/guest-commentary/praying-for-persecutors-learn-from-persecuted-christians.html)  Much of this meditation was excerpted from this article.)