Mockings
And Scourgings
And
what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak,
Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the
prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained
promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the
edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put
foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and
others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a
better resurrection; and others experienced mockings
and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They
were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death
with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute,
afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy),
wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
And
all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was
promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from
us they would not be made perfect.
Hebrews 11:32-40
Christians
did not wake up one day and decide to be martyrs. Neither do we.
The question is how we would deal with that, if our lives were about to end.
Would we give glory to God?
In
Hebrews 11 we hear stories of brutality. Today we hear of persecuted Christians
around the world, yet many of us have not been tested to that extent. Examine
your own faith. Ask yourself whether you would respond to the prospect of dying
for our Savior.
Our Daily Bread –