What are you thankful for?

Probably as many of you did, we spent a little time yesterday as a family talking about things that we are thankful for. We talked about being thankful for Jesus' death on the cross for our sin, the Bible, family, and toys, among many other things. But one thing that God has been convicting me of lately to be more thankful of, is suffering and those brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering around the world today.

Now I have gone through some trials for Christ's sake but I have never suffered in a biblical sense. But in reading Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand, I have realized a new appreciation for those who have and are suffering. Richard Wurmbrand was a pastor in Romania who was tortured and imprisoned in 1948 for 14 years in Romania by the Communists. And when he was not imprisoned, he was a vital part of the underground church there.

In describing some of his tortures, he writes, "The tortures and brutality continued without interruption. When I lost consciousness or became too dazed to give the torturers any further hopes of confession, I would be returned to my cell. There I would lie, unattended and half dead, to regain a little strength so they could work on me again. Many died at this stage, but somehow my strength always managed to return. In the ensuing years, in several different prisons, they broke four vertebrae in my back, and many other bones. They carved me in a dozen places. They burned and cut eighteen holes in my body."

The stories of torture are sometimes graphic and often gut wrenching. There were many inspiring and Christ glorifying moments in his life, but what amazed me was not just the resiliency to suffer for Christ's name but the love for and fervor to witness to both his torturers and to other prisoners as he suffered. He writes, "A number of us decided to pay the price for the privilege of preaching, so we accepted their terms. It was a deal: we preached and they beat us. We were happy preaching; they were happy beating us - so everyone was happy."

Not every story was inspiring though. Some broke my heart with how professed Christians turned from Christ. But considering the horrific sacrifices some had to make to follow Christ not only for themselves but for their children (you'd have to read it to understand it), I'm not sure I would have been able to do much different. How willing am I to sacrifice my life or my children's lives and suffer for Jesus?

Could I be like John and Peter who rejoiced "that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name" after they had been beaten in Acts 5? Am I even living for Christ strongly enough so that I exemplify an "aroma of Christ" that to those who are not Christians is an "aroma of death" (2 Cor 2:14-16)? For Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20).

Thank God for those faithful saints who are an aroma of death, who do rejoice when they suffer for Christ's name, and who are martyred for the glory of Christ. I will be thankful for them more and pray for them more. In recent years, it is estimated that 160,000 Christians are martyred every year.

If you are interested in reading it, Voice of the Martyrs is giving out free copies of Tortured for Christ - www.persecution.com