Compelled

Monday, June 23

Yesterday, we traveled to the middle of the Beqaa valley - the bread basket of Lebanon to participate in a worship service in a local house church. Originally we were to break into two groups, with one going to Tripoli. As it so often happens here, a local feud broke out in Tripoli and that plan was aborted. So we traveled to central Lebanon.

After several hymns in Arabic, Mary Rice from Coos Bay, Oregon led the congregation in Great is Thy Faithfulness and Amazing Grace. I was invited to share using the Ephsian 2 text about Jesus breaking down the wall of hostility. Siting several example of how walls foster feelings of resentment and anger, I gave thanks for Jesus who has become our peace and reconciliation between us and God and subsequently between our own warring ways. It was a wonderful congregation of believers from many different backgrounds. God's witness remains strong.

We returned to the retreat center, resting for a couple hours, then we went to the gratuation ceremonies and a dinner for the graduates of Arab Baptist Theological Seminary. With about 25 graduates from all over the Arab world, I was again reminded how this school is on the front line of faith. Many of the graduates will go to places of persecution and struggle. Question: What is it that compells a person to embrace persecution for the sake of the Gospel? This is a mystery that many Americans have no idea about. Our understanding of persecution might be some negative comment about Christians in the media or perhaps some offense in the shopping line.

Paul writes in II Corinthians 5:14, "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convince that one died for all and therefore all died. An he died for all ..."

compelled, rtm