For my online Christian Missions class, I had to read a book entitled "A Martyr's Grace." It covered the 21 men and women who became martyrs after attending Moody. The book brought tears flowing from my eyes as I read about the people who died in horrific ways because they stood for their faith until the end. What struck me as that each person was so similar to people I know today. These martyrs were average people who had beautiful faith. They weren't superhuman. They were dedicated, funny, real. They had a insatiable hunger and love for God.
Reading their stories challenged me to have a deeper love for God. I had been so caught up in following God that it was becoming a bit legalistic and tiring. However, this book changed my focus back to God- and his love for me. The other day my boss was encouraging me that I am always giving but I have trouble receiving back. I think I actually have done this with God! I've worked so hard to serve and love him to earn his love after. The reality is, God loved me FIRST. When I savor his love, it makes it so much easier to love Him back. And this new-found love is inspiring a greater faith and fearlessness in me.
So what makes someone a saint or a martyr? What do these believers have that makes their faith so great? In The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer mentions what inspires this faith: "I venture to suggest that the one vital quality which they had in common was spiritual receptivity. Something in them was open to heaven, something which urged them Godward. Without attempting anything like a profound analysis, I shall say simply that they had spiritual awareness and that they went on to cultivate it until it became the biggest thing in their lives. They differed from the average person in that when they felt the inward longing, they did something about it. They acquired a lifelong habit of spiritual response." These people had an eternal perspective. They lived like they truly believed what Paul said in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” They looked at all they had to face and asked, "Afraid? Of what?"
Reading their stories challenged me to have a deeper love for God. I had been so caught up in following God that it was becoming a bit legalistic and tiring. However, this book changed my focus back to God- and his love for me. The other day my boss was encouraging me that I am always giving but I have trouble receiving back. I think I actually have done this with God! I've worked so hard to serve and love him to earn his love after. The reality is, God loved me FIRST. When I savor his love, it makes it so much easier to love Him back. And this new-found love is inspiring a greater faith and fearlessness in me.
So what makes someone a saint or a martyr? What do these believers have that makes their faith so great? In The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer mentions what inspires this faith: "I venture to suggest that the one vital quality which they had in common was spiritual receptivity. Something in them was open to heaven, something which urged them Godward. Without attempting anything like a profound analysis, I shall say simply that they had spiritual awareness and that they went on to cultivate it until it became the biggest thing in their lives. They differed from the average person in that when they felt the inward longing, they did something about it. They acquired a lifelong habit of spiritual response." These people had an eternal perspective. They lived like they truly believed what Paul said in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” They looked at all they had to face and asked, "Afraid? Of what?"
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