I was told Sunday on the way to church by one of the kids that I was a buzzkill.  I tried to protest and sought defenders, but the two other siblings were silent. Guilty I guess. I'm moody.

My record has been bad this week. I near ruined our annual school shopping trip yesterday. One of the girls complained of being hungry. The other wasn’t happy with the number of stores we had to go to. I lit into them about how good we have it. I explained how we don’t even know what hunger is and how we should be thankful that we’re able to get all of the “things” that we need for school.

I spilled my sorrow recounting what I’d read that morning about Christians in Iraq. I told them how families, the lucky ones, have found themselves homeless having been able to flee ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) terrorists. The less fortunate ones’ lives have been snuffed out, as they were unable to escape. All this, simply for their belief in God. A quick guilt trip imparted, I’d straightened up their attitudes and done my holy emoting for the day.

We went back to our shopping.

We bought apple-scented detangler and pink mouthwash with cute “bubble” characters on the label. And after several attempts, we found jeans that don’t look painted on. We tried on sparkly shirts. We had strawberry lemonade and peach tea for lunch with free refills; accompanied with laughter.  I’d almost forgotten how devastated I’d been that morning reading about persecuted Christians in Iraq. 

 

 

Just Saturday I changed my profile picture to the symbol recognized for supporting these Christians.

The symbol is the Arabic letter “N” standing for “Christian” or “Nasrani (Nazarene)”. This symbol is being spray painted red on the doors of Christian homes and businesses in Iraq. The symbol grants militants permission to seize property inside. Thousands have fled, and thousands have been killed. Fathers have been hung, mothers raped before being killed and children have been beheaded. Children’s heads have been placed on sticks in a park in Mosul.

When I think about this I’m downright devastated; sick to my stomach. That gut-felt emotion is fickle though.   I quickly return to mind-numbed distraction. There are things to do.

Boxes of sharpened number two pencils and packs of matching socks have to be bought. Old and ill-fitting clothes have to be taken out of drawers to make room for new school outfits. Eye and dental appointments have to be made. The husband and I need to find time to work off calories by the thousands that were consumed with dips and brownies and too many soft drinks. Back to the gym. Back to school. Back to new Bible studies and a new year of children’s choir and twirling and youth activities.

The world is in peril. But we’re busy.

I changed my profile picture. And I told the kids of the horror in Iraq. I even made sure my sister who called this morning, who doesn’t watch TV knew how bad things are for our Christian brothers and sisters there. I’m even telling you.

I’m heartbroken, for a moment, like I was when I heard that Miriam Ibrahim,a young Sudanese woman, was being sentenced to death for her faith.

-Like I was for Saeed who is unfairly imprisoned in Iran. I still “get sad” when I read pleas from his wife for prayer.

It’s my duty to feel sorrow for such injustice and terror. So I fulfill my duty and then return to my life of prosperity blaming a full schedule for my lack of genuine Christian love. I’m troubled enough with the constant flurry of activity.

Still, I’m burdened with the truth. These Christians, in constant fear of death, don’t need our fleeting pity. They don’t need our likes on Facebook underneath a Christian Post article, updating us on the situation. They don’t need a moment’s sorrow or a heavy sigh when we stumble upon harrowing pictures of lifeless children. They need us to pray.

Pray hard.

Pray constantly.

The senseless and violent killing is hard to fathom because we are so far removed from such a life. That makes it hard to pray. Attempting to imagine what these people are going through is even harder. Thus we distract ourselves with the meaningless tasks of life, like serving the recommended daily allowance of fruit or making sure that our daughters get shoes that won’t earn them disapproving glances during PE.

We ought to live thankful lives for all that God has done for us; not forgetting the grace he has shed on us. We ought to be praying for our children; for endless matters such as the friendships they will make, for anxiety that they will likely endure, for good and understanding teachers.

But we ought to never be too busy to pray for those removed from these sorts of comforts.   Pray obediently. Praying sincerely. Love must be sincere -Romans 12:9

A sincere love surely prays.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Colossians 4:6

The mountains are shaking
Could this be a great awakening

Break our hearts
With the things that break Yours
Wake us up to see through Your eyes
Break our hearts
With the things that break Yours
And send us out to shine in the darkness

It's time to move outside our comfort zone
To see beyond our churches and our homes
To change the way we think and how we spend
Until we look like Jesus again

 

-song lyrics for Break our Hearts by Vicky Beeching