Lord Have Mercy

Thank God, Abdul Rahman is safe in Italy. Michelle Malkin has been covering the story pretty thoroughly. I feel both relieved and guilty for living in a country where I don't have to worry about being beheaded because of my Christian faith. There but for the grace of God go I. I can only pray that God would give me the ability to stand strong in the faith if I was ever in that situation, and that He will protect all those who still risk losing their lives for Him.

On a somewhat related note, I was astounded this Lenten season to discover how many people, some of them presumably Christian, did not even know what Lent was. To paraphrase a friend from church, "Haven't they even noticed all those fish specials this time of year?" I found out some people do not even know what Mardi Gras is. Forget about the repentence part; they don't even know about the party part anymore.

I've been debating whether it is better to live in a country where most people are ostensibly Christian, like I've read and heard America used to be, or whether the current state of things is better, where even believing in God is not a given. Even today, Christian churches do not always have a Christian message. I'm thinking of a church near where I live, that currently displays the message, "When God Audits You, Will He Be Pleased With the Life You Are Living?" Of course God will not be pleased! We're still poor, miserable sinners in need of salvation! Only the gift of Jesus' shed blood makes us pleasing in God's sight. I knew a woman who used to attend that church. She struggled with feelings of guilt over the sins she kept committing, and a feeling of falling short of what she should be doing. But is it better that she at least knows she is sinful and under God's wrath, as opposed to not being aware that we even have this sin problem with its eternal consequences?

These thoughts did run their way through my mind, but I came to the thought that God is sovereign. His Holy Spirit can use any circumstances to convict a person of their guilt and need of God's forgiveness. I can only pray that God use me to do His will through my vocation, and that His Word "may not be bound, but have free course and be preached to the joy and edifying of Christ's holy people."