Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
- Acts 9:1-2

The work of God in the world will always have opponents. The story we’ll be looking at this week reminds us of this truth in both sobering and hope-giving ways.

The man we read about in today’s passage had been involved in the brutal murder of the first Christian martyr, a man named Stephen. But that wasn’t enough for Saul. Was he trying to prove his devotion to the Lord? Was he trying to protect his community from what he must have perceived to be a dangerous cult? We don’t exactly know Saul’s motives, but today’s passage shows him actively at work to tear apart the fledgling churches that were just beginning to spread throughout Judea and Samaria.

Opponents to God’s work in the world today can appear in various forms. Some come equipped with little more than snide comments and teasing. Others carry knives, bombs, and the hammer of unjust laws.

Opposition to the advance of God’s good work in the world has been steady and continuous since the day Jesus rose from the grave (and, if you’re persistent, you can trace it back even farther than that). We here in the United States can easily be lulled into believing that modern progress has left behind the more violent forms of this opposition. But, sadly, this just isn’t true.

According to OpenDoorsUSA.org over 300 Christians are killed for their faith every month. Church buildings burn to the ground daily. Our brothers and sisters in Christ suffer beatings, deprivation, and discrimination. To this very day, people are breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.

What are we to do when we hear stories of our brothers and sisters around the globe who are experiencing extreme persecution? We can pray.

Try praying a prayer like this today:

Lord Jesus,
I know you care about my brothers and sisters in the faith who are suffering at the hands of opponents to your good work in the world. Would you protect your church throughout the world? Would you help each of us to remain faithful to you in the face of persecution? Would you transform our enemies into allies and, more than that, into people who turn from their evil ways and decide to love and follow you?
Amen