Christmas Greetings Dear Martyrs’ Cross Family!
I keep thinking lately about the Scripture that says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.†(Ecclesiastes 7:2)
Considering what it was the teacher was saying, I realized I used to confuse this thought with the idea that, “It’s better to be depressed than joyfulâ€. This isn’t true because when taken with the whole of Scripture we know that a glad heart is good and times of rejoicing are a mandate from heaven. However, the truth exists and remains, there’s a purity, a washing, in sorrow that can give rise to deepest and most beautiful joy. This is a treasure held out to us from our family in persecuted nations. We are listening close with you this Christmas…as a weary world rejoices.
As the bride of Christ stands as the living image of the living God in the earth, we cannot thank you enough for standing together in prayer this year. As we have prayed for our persecuted family, they have prayed for us. There has been a mixture of joy and sorrow, rejoicing and weeping, because, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he had and bought it.” (Matt.13:44, emphasis added mine)
It may seem like an oxymoron to someone looking in, but to the followers of Jesus, we give up all knowing we receive everything. We mourn, we feel, because we know there is hope and Someone catching our tears and leading the way on, preparing the way for a brighter day.
Through knowing sadness and pain, we know each other, and we know we must press on and press in. We must press into the soil of our hearts removing the logs, removing the stones, and weeds. So that the seed of the Son of Man can take root, so that Jesus will be born—today in our hearts and tomorrow in the hearts of our enemies, because though we weep at night, there will be joy in the morning and He will make our righteousness shine like the sun. Our labor is not in vain.
“Let us make revolutionists and terrorists a matter of prayerful concern, asking that they may use their energies in the service of peaceful reforms.” —Richard Wurmbrand
Stay prayerful Martyrs’ Cross family, whether you are wearing it around your neck or around your heart—we’re with you.
Raynna, for the whole family
Subscribe HERE. We remember (take action for) & pray for persecuted Christians all over the world. If you feel prompted to work on behalf of persecuted Christians, let your first step be in this moment—acknowledge the holiness and beauty of our God, study His words to be rooted, grounded, living trees in the house of Adonai, and you will produce much fruit. Join the family.