I Put My Head Down and Cried

I couldn't help it. Often times I can't stop myself. So I put my head down and cried. I was in the midst of eating lunch today, and I couldn't hold it in any longer. This has also been a regular occurrence as I ride the bus or metro. My thoughts catch up with me and the reality sets it. What reality you may ask?

Recently I have been reading a book called "Safely Home" by Randy Alcorn. This book discusses persecution of Christians in one particular country. It makes my heart so heavy, I cannot even describe it. My heart is heavy not because these people are believers, but it is heavy for the ones who won't get to hear the truth because of where they live. In the land of the free and the home of the brave, we don't encounter this type of persecution. Meeting in the middle of the night for church. Not owning a Bible. Fear and knowing that just by saying you follow Jesus it could end your life. We know nothing of this.

What overwhelms me even more is that I live somewhere where the Gospel can be shared, but people's hearts are so hard. I pray and pray pleading for God to soften the hearts of those around me. Someone will catch my eye and I am urged to pray for them. I think of my friends around the world who are in difficult areas, and my heart aches for them and the people they are sharing truth with. Let our hearts be burdened for the lost and let us intercede.

With the tears that fall, I pray that there is equal action on my part. Action of sharing boldly. Action of praying. Action of giving so that more people can be sent to the nations. I have several people in my heart right now that I DEEPLY desire to see in eternity. Their faces play like a filmstrip in my head over and over again. It hurts to imagine that they may not be there even if I tell them the truth. Free will. We get to choose and follow Christ. Or we get to reject him and go our own way.

I have friends and family who do not believe as I believe. I know there are nations upon nations that believe Christianity is only a Western religion. Because of the misconceptions I pray that these barriers come down. Not that people believe as I believe because I'm not the point, but that they follow Christ. If you don't know what you believe and are looking for answers... seek them out. Look at books from those who at one time did not believe in Christ. Their journeys are fascinating as God gently (or sometimes more firmly) leads them to him. There is a God. He loves us. We just have to choose him. In parts of the world where we can choose whatever we want, I hope you choose to at least consider the options.

As for those in parts of the world that do not get to choose whatever they want, pray for revelations from God to rain down on the people. That his word spreads and cannot be stopped. That lives are saved and changed. How amazing will it be to hug brothers and sisters in Christ that we never knew by name this side of heaven, but that we interceded for?

I have a friend here whose parents are serving in East Asia. Her parents recently went to the funeral of a man who was a new believer and follower of Jesus. He was the first man of that entire village to enter into eternity into the arms of Christ. Let us rejoice in this. Let this sober us and put us into action to realize that there are so many places that have yet to hear. I pray not that my tears cease, but that they continue so that this fire in me to share about my Christ never stops. I pray for a deep movement in your souls as well. Let us not celebrate Christmas unless we know why we are celebrating it.

In Him,
Taryn