February 11, 2010 - Acts 12:1-2

“It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.” Acts 12:1-2.

The persecution of the early followers of Jesus intensified, and James, son of Zebedee, brother of John, and one of the first disciples, was martyred. Several other followers, including Peter, were arrested, and no one knew what their fate might be.

These words hit me pretty hard. I realized the life-or-death seriousness of the journey facing these followers of Jesus. Or possibly it was just that I was becoming more sensitized to their situation! I began to think about what this group of people had to endure. What do you suppose this would look like today? How would you react in similar circumstances? It was be sobering for me, causing me to think deeply about my convictions.

I am not so sure how I would respond to persecution. My hope is that I would stand firm in my conviction that Jesus is my Master, my Lord, and my Savior. But how would I respond if my government was trying to “cleanse the land” of us? We say that this could never happen...but what if it did? Consider what happened to the Jews in Europe under Nazi savagery.

Questions to consider: What would be your conviction if persecution started happening in your country? How serious are you about following Jesus? How would you follow Jesus, obeying His most important commands to love, in the face of persecution?

Prayer: Father, thank You for giving me this wakeup call and for helping me to think about the seriousness of what Your early followers had to face. Give me a heart that is willing to follow You no matter what the circumstances. Amen.