Today is National Religious Freedom Day.
I don't know what that means to you, but it doesn't mean much to the Muslim jihadists who murdered 13 Nigerian Christians a few days ago.
Did you know that at least 16,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria in the last five years? Or that worldwide, Christians are martyred at a rate of approximately 90,000 per year?
Hundreds of thousands of believers who share our faith, but not our freedom.
And yet, the community of Believers in oppressed countries continues to grow while researchers tell us that Christianity is on the decline in America.
According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, America is experiencing an ever increasing generational gap among those who claim to be Christians, with 84% of those born between 1928-1945, 76% of Baby Boomers, and only 49% of Millennials.
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In 2019, my Word of the Year was Humility. I asked Jesus to help me be a better servant... less of me... more of Him.
Y'all. Do not EVER ask God to cause you to be more humble if you aren't ready for a soul-shaping smackdown worthy of the WWE. Suffice it to say that I am officially, fully, completely convicted of EXACTLY how much grace and mercy I need from God.
ALL of it. I need every single drop.
Halfway into January, I'm still finding whiffs of smoke from the refining fires of 2019.
I ain't stupid. I learned my lesson and without one ounce of shame, I had NO plans to choose a 'word' for 2020.
Silly me.
There I was, minding my own business, bringing in the New Year with a study of Revelation. (Cause nothing says “Happy New Year!” like cracking open the chapters of Armageddon, amiright?)
God didn't dilly dally around. He started working on me around the second chapter... Revelation 2:8-11, to be exact.
I began reading the apocalyptic letter to the Church in Smryna, where Jesus acknowledges the good works of the congregation and encourages them to remain strong and faithful – even through tribulation and death. The first century Christians of Smryna were not only being persecuted by Romans, they were also opposed by a large population of Jewish zealots.
Curiosity about the persecution led me to a remarkable story about a martyr named Polycarp who was killed about 60 years after John the Apostle wrote the Book of Revelation.
In fact, Polycarp was traditionally believed to have been John's student. At 86 years old, he was a revered leader of the church in Smyrna. Upon learning the Romans were coming to arrest him, Polycarp's friends took him to the country to hide him. One night while praying, Polycarp had a vision that his pillow was on fire. He calmly told his friends that he was destined to be burned at the stake. Three days later, the soldiers found him and led him back to Smyrna straight into an arena filled with blood-thirsty Romans and Jews. They had come for the sport of watching Christians being tortured and killed.
The proconsul earnestly tried to get Polycarp to deny Christ and declare Caesar as lord. “Have respect for your old age, swear by the fortune of Caesar. Reproach Christ, and I will set you free.” Without wavering, Polycarp answered, “86 years have I have served him and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”
It just so happened that the stadium lions had been put away for the day, so the proconsul threatened to burn Polycarp. His reply? “You threaten me with fire which burns for an hour, and is then extinguished, but you know nothing of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. Why are you waiting? Bring on whatever you want.”
As they tied his hands to a stake surrounded by a great pile of wood, Polycarp raised his eyes to heaven and said this beautiful martyr's prayer:
“O Lord God Almighty, the Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge of you, the God of angels, powers and every creature, and of all the righteous who live before you, I give you thanks that you count me worthy to be numbered among your martyrs, sharing the cup of Christ and the resurrection to eternal life, both of soul and body, through the immortality of the Holy Spirit. May I be received this day as an acceptable sacrifice, as you, the true God, have predestined, revealed to me, and now fulfilled. I praise you for all these things, I bless you and glorify you, along with the everlasting Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. To you, with him, through the Holy Ghost, be glory both now and forever. Amen.”
The fire was lit to blazing. And then... a miracle happened.
As the great tower of fire arose, flames began to arch away from Polycarp's body. Instead of burning, his skin turned golden and those around him smelled a sweet scent. When the soldiers saw that the fire would not consume him, an executioner was commanded to slay him with a spear. As his flesh was pierced, blood poured from Polycarp's body and extinguished the fire. A dove was seen flying up from the smoke into heaven.
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BOLDNESS.
That's my Word of The Year for 2020.
The kind of boldness that the Apostles prayed for on the Day of Pentecost and was given to them through the Holy Spirit.
The kind of boldness that glorifies God even unto death.
Holy Boldness.
Now, I'm pretty sure God isn't gonna ask me to die as a martyr. But it's no coincidence that after teaching me true humility, He is calling me to be bold. He's pretty tricky, that way.
Without HUMILITY, I would have tried to be bold on my own. I know I would, I've seen me do it. And it didn't go well, because that's not how spiritual boldness works.
Holy Boldness can only come from God - through humility - for the work of His Kingdom. I am weak. HE is strong.
I have no idea what He's got planned for me in 2020... but I know it's gonna be good. Because there has never been a better time to boldly, unapologetically declare Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
