Persecution

This post represents my inner-need to spew what my heart's been feeling all day.  Earlier, I received a message on facebook from an old friend.  I hadn't seen or heard from her since high school (which has been *cough cough* ten years ago now); we hadn't even exchanged messages or comments on facebook since becoming facebook friends...until today.

The message from this old friend began with no warm greeting or friendly "hello".  She didn't cushion things with small talk or beating around the bush.  Her message just hammered right in and began reaming me with insults about how ignorant and uneducated I am.  She notified me of how sorry she was for my children that they would be educated by a God-lover and someone so ignorant.  Her final requests were that I stop flooding facebook with my religious ramblings about God and to not pray for her since she has an ivy league diploma, full bank account and excessive happiness.  All of this came after a nearly 10-year gap of silence!

I was shocked...to say the least. 

My body physically shook.  I think I pulsed with intense pain initially because it hurts when people say mean things!  But I think the nausea I was feeling was for her.  In her message, she labeled herself an atheist.  My heart ached for the trap that she's fallen into.  Satan would have her believe that Christianity is foolishness and believing in God is denying science.  In her mind, God can't stand with logic in the room.

 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength."

1 Corinthians 1:18 - 25

I felt like telling her that just because I believed in God, it doesn't mean that I don't believe science is useful and important.  After all, God created it!  But, (and it's a big "but") I do believe that science takes a back-seat to God and His mighty power.  I mean, who was it that calmed the waves in Matthew 8:26?  Jesus! The Creator of science!  Who was it that caused Peter to walk on water in Matthew 14:29?  Jesus!  The Creator of science and the only one who can defy it!  And on a more personal note, who told me with all certainty that there was no "scientific" way that my daughter could live and that I would probably die if I left her unaborted!?  Science.  And who defied that "fact"?  Jesus!!!  If you don't believe the Bible...believe real-life!

I felt like telling her all of those things, but I knew it would probably fall on deaf ears.  I simply replied that I was sorry for offending her, but that I could not stop talking about my God, Who is my everything.

I stand in awe of my mighty God tonight.  No matter what the world would hurl at us, no matter the flaming arrows of the evil one...MY GOD IS BIGGER!

Tonight I was reading, "My Utmost For His Highest" by Chambers, and today's passage just-so-happened to be on intercessory prayer!!!  Interestingly enough, God had the foresight to put this gal on my heart before I received her message today!  I thought it was interesting that she'd come to mind since she was a long-lost friend from high school that I had lost touch with!  But God knew what His purpose was and how the "fore-warning" would comfort me later.  And to top it all off, He gives me a passage on intercessory prayer for others!  Wow.  You can bet I'll be praying for her from this point on!

As my mind continues to grieve for this old friend and the pain she must be experiencing or even the lack thereof (seeming happiness with the pleasures of this world), Scriptures continue to pop into my mind.

Acts 4:13-14

"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say."

2 Corinthians 12:10

"That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

 "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.  It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

You know, as I reflect on each of these passages, I think my old friend is right.  I am uneducated, ignorant and ordinary, but that's what makes my story so great!  There is NO way I can take the credit for anything that God does in my life!  It's all Him!  :)

Praise be to the One Who is, who was and who is yet to come!  Let us prepare ourselves for Him and His coming judgement!  Because at the trumpet blast every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD!!!

2 Corinthians 12:9

^" But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."