An Iraqi Christmas

I caught a small piece of a "60 Minutes" story last night on the persecution of Christians in Iraq. News reporters, who have no bias towards Christianity as far as I can see, are reporting that it is real. People who are not Christians are persecuting them. By news accounts, some have been killed. The reporter took cameras into empty church buildings and showed us that they had been abandoned. Many Christians have fled Iraq to neighboring countries

What are we to think? Well, perhaps first to remind ourselves God is sovereign and in control. Next to remind ourselves that the church building is not the church. The church is the people and the church left. For now that may be the right thing to do as it preserves life.

What will happen? Well, we do not know. Perhaps teachers will be thrown in prison for making the mistake of letting their young students name a teddy bear. Perhaps Christianity will be outlawed. Who knows?

How are we to respond? Not with, "Well Christians have done bad things too!" That is like excusing slavery by saying, "Well a black man once did a bad thing." There is no excuse for slavery and none for persecution of faith. It is wrong.

What are we to do? Pray. Pray fervently. Maybe some of you would do more, and support those Christian clergy and others who stayed in Iraq as well as those who had to abandoned their homes. I am sure our Global Outreach group has some ideas on how you could do that.

Last point. I wonder if it makes you righteously angry? Our Lord's people, therefore Our Lord, being abused. I think it does me even as I love them. Blessings.