 Every November, Christians throughout the world are urged to observe the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) by setting aside one Sunday during the month to specially pray for the persecuted Christians.
In Malaysia, NECF Malaysia together with Open Doors Malaysia are advocating the whole of November to pray for our persecuted brethren.
In our civilised world of the 21st century, the persecution of Christians is at an all-time high. But how do we motivate Christians to get down on their knees to pray for their suffering brothers and sisters?
To help answer this question, perhaps we need to re-look at the emphasis on the sufferers’ “plight”. Is suffering for our Lord a plight or a privilege?
In some parts of the world, a Christian’s standing is not measured by his academic qualifications or the positions he hold. Rather, it is determined by the number of times he has been thrown into prison. In 2 Corinthians, Paul boasted about his persecutions, which included prison flogging, beating and stoning. Modern day also has many stories of Christians who revel in their persecution.
If it is a privilege to suffer for Christ, it is also a privilege to share in this suffering by praying for those who are suffering. This is a partnership that benefits both parties: our prayers strengthen them; in return, their testimonies strengthen us.
IDOP was initiated by the Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Fellowship (now World Evangelical Alliance) and is now supported by at least eight Christian organisations including Open Doors.
While we have dedicated November to pray for our suffering brethren, let us continually pray for them at all times as their partners.
In conjunction with the IDOP, Berita NECF has devoted this issue’s back page to praying for our persecuted brethren. |
