Read Acts 8:1-3
1 And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
It is so easy just to gloss over these words. To read them quickly, give intellectual assent to what they describe and then move on. But just stop!
Read them again…
then re-read them…
then maybe one more time.
Spend some time thinking about their implication. For the people caught up in these events their world has been turned upside down. Start imagining the events unfolding. In my mind it is sudden, chaotic and terrifying. Imagine you’re part of it. One of your friends, a highly regarded member of your church, has been dragged out and stoned right in front of you and now all manner of violence has been unleashed. You see your best friend and their family carted off to jail. Another friend has just grabbed all their belongings and is running for their life…
How do you feel?
What are you thinking?
What do you do?
…
How is your relationship with God?
If you have a bit longer :-)
- Why do you think the apostles weren’t scattered?
- Many Christians today live in similarly terrifying situations. Please spend some time reading the report below from the organization Open Doors and pray into this situation.
Nigeria: Christians in grip of fear
Following the shocking attacks in Kano, northern Nigeria, on 20 January in which over 160 people were killed, both Muslim and Christian residents of the city have been urged to pray.
Attacks by militant Islamist group Boko Haram have been responsible for the deaths of over 50 Christians since the beginning of January, a local Open Doors team has confirmed.
Boko Haram's vow to 'cleanse the north of Christianity' has kept Christians in northern Nigeria in the grip of uncertainty. A short cell phone text message, circulated to warn Christians that more attacks would follow, has caused much fear. In a recent video posted on YouTube, the sect leader declared their attacks to be 'reprisals' for alleged earlier violence by Christians against Muslims.
In reaction, the government has called on Christians not to be alarmed by the threats of Boko Haram, assuring them of protection. Many church leaders have joined the president in calling for calm, urging members to remain in prayer. However, the leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ayo Oritsejafor, has told Christians to take appropriate action to protect themselves. "We have the legitimate right to defend ourselves," he has said. "We will do whatever it takes."
Open Doors teams ask for prayer
This atmosphere of fear and mistrust across the north complicates the work for Open Doors teams, who need much wisdom and discernment. At the end of last year, several Open Doors training sessions were disrupted by Boko Haram activities. Two participants at a training seminar in Maiduguri were gunned down by Boko Haram members after returning home. One of them was a pastor of the local Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) congregation.
The Open Doors team is responding by prioritising the needs of Christians who are not receiving any assistance from the government; the most urgent needs are among the large number of Christians from Potiskum and Damaturu in Yobe state who have fled to Nassarawa. Christians in Kano and Katsina say they have nowhere to go, so have stayed put; the team is investigating their needs.
Open Doors workers have asked for concerted prayer as they work to meet the most urgent needs. If staff teams are caught up in the violence, this will complicate the provision of assistance even further.
Please pray:
- For comfort and healing for those affected by the violence. Pray that Christians would have the wisdom to show restraint and the grace to forgive.
- For protection and courage for Open Doors workers as they move around the region to encourage and assist affected Christians.
- For wisdom for the government in clamping down on the perpetrators of the violence, and that those responsible for the bloodshed will be arrested and brought to justice.[1]
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