End the Silence

During my prayers and meditations this morning I was impressed to pray for the church throughout the world, especially the Persecuted Church. Shortly thereafter I just "happened" to read a blog post on First Things http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/ by Robert P. George titled End the Silence; yesterday (December 31) he coauthored an op-ed piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer on the Persecuted Church

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20131231_Attacks_on_religion__liberty.html.

I'm not sure why we don't pray for our brothers and sisters throughout the world, why we don't give to them, why we don't put their needs above our desires. Oh, I know there are exceptions among Western Christians, but they are exceptions - what should be the rule is not the rule. I hardly ever hear the Persecuted Church prayed for on Sundays, seldom is it talked about, seldom are funds sent to comfort and support them - again, I realize there are exceptions.

There are many indictments that can be brought against the Western Church, our lack of concern for our brothers and sisters living in dire circumstances, whether home or abroad, whether in need of food, shelter, clothing, or medical help, or suffering for their obedience to Jesus Christ - the list forms a many-count indictment that Isaiah, Jeremiah, Paul, or Peter would have no trouble obtaining guilty verdicts on. But it isn't Peter or Paul or Jeremiah or Isaiah who walks in the midst of the candlesticks - it is Jesus Christ. Can I bear to look at Him?