Iran, Somalia, Syria, North Korea are some of the most dangerous places to be, especially if you are a Christian. These nations are just a few of many where Christians are hated, and are imprisoned or killed because of their faith. The book, “Insanity of God” describes the brutality, and hatred for Christians primarily in Somalia, Russia and China. I highly recommend that every Christian read it. A missionary from Kentucky wrote about his and his family’s horrible experiences while serving in Somalia, but more importantly about the faith and perseverance of those poor Christian people living in those countries who stood strong and committed in their love for Jesus.
We should be thankful that we live in America where we are able to worship without fear of persecution, at least for now. America hasn’t been a place where Christians are attacked or hated. I think that many Christians have considered America the nation that God loves and perhaps favored above all the other nations of the world. I believe that we have taken God’s protection of our freedom to worship for granted. Our worship practices have become something we do out of habit. In many churches worship is a performance with a stage like setting. The act of worship is done in many styles where there is no thought of God, and others receive the glory and praise, not God.
Our misconception is that God loves America more than he does other nations. There are a few people like Nik Ripken, the author of the book I mentioned, who have been moved by God’s Spirit to have an incredible love for those living in other nations like Somalia, China, Russia and Syria. These people are willing and even driven to risk their lives to go to these places and tell those who live there about Jesus. God’s Spirit moved in the same way in the days of the first disciples, in the Apostle Paul’s day, and in the days of the Reformation. There has not been a time when God, because of his love for people in all nations, has failed to ask the question, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? And many like Isaiah have answered that call by saying, “Here am I, send me!”
Don’t ever think that God’s love doesn’t reach beyond the borders of the good ‘ole USA. God loves those whom we fear and perhaps hate. If you are a Christian God is calling to you, “Who will go for me?” More than likely he is not calling you to go to a place like Somalia, but his call to you will certainly be for you to show the love of Christ to your neighbor. America had better wake up or we will become like other nations, and we will lose our freedom to worship.
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