Do you think the reason people are not willing to sacrifice for the name of Jesus Christ is because they do not know Him? The focus of early Christians was completely on the Lord, and He is the one who enabled them to die for His sake. After all, Romans 12 seems pretty exacting, giving my WHOLE life as a sacrifice to the Lord. C'mon! I don't get to keep any of it for myself? Yet the Bible says it's "reasonable!" Why? Don't you think it's only in light of all He has done for me that I realize nothing I could give Him would begin to express my gratitude and love? When I realize, like David Oliver said, that "God has received from one Man all that was due to Him from every man" then I humbly say, "Lord, what is man that Thou shouldest consider him?" As I "consider Him there" at the cross, I marvel at what He was due and of what we deemed Him worthy. Then, as I think on Him, it seems unreasonable to do anything else but lay down my life at His feet.
Elizabeth Pearson | 08.22.05 - 10:17 pm | #

As I was thinking about the story of the girl, I realized that not only is it reasonable to lay down our lives for Him, but it also becomes our delight.
Elizabeth Pearson | 08.23.05 - 11:24 am | #

Dear Mssrs. Harris,

I came upon your blog through, in all likelihood, Dawn Eden's. As I read this post, I had some thoughts come through my mind. I am a member of a religious order who celebrates the memories of our Spanish martyrs around this time. Profaning sacred objects does not necessarily save your life. I do not speak of the heavenly life; I speak of the earthly one. Many photos of the Ghettos have Jews profaning their sacred texts, only, in all likelihood, to be killed at a later date. Similar actions can be found in Spain in 1936. Martyrdom is not a title we look forward to, but one we must be willing to accept if we are called to it by God, as He only knows our day and our hour.
Bro. Andrew, nSM | Homepage | 09.17.05 - 10:20 am | #