May 1 Devotion - Praying during persecution and suffering

There are many Christians feeling persecution today in many countries. One of these countries is Iraq as there are more stories of beheaded Christians.

Our first reaction may be anger, let us remember what God Himself said:

Vengeance is Mine

Deuteronomy 32

What we can do is to pray for all Christians in suffering, and for the Christians of Egypt, Iraq, Syria and the entire Middle-East and seek The Lord’s guidance and wisdom and comfort to our feelings and actions, for we know that:

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

طُوبَى لِمَنْ يَتَحَمَّلُ الْمِحْنَةَ بِصَبْرٍ. فَإِنَّهُ، بَعْدَ أَنْ يَجْتَازَ الامْتِحَانَ بِنَجَاحٍ، سَيَنَالُ «إِكْلِيلَ الْحَيَاةِ» الَّذِي وَعَدَ بِهِ الرَّبُّ مُحِبِّيهِ!

James 1:12

We listen to the words of the Apostles James and Paul as they tell us:

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him…  

James 1:2-5

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.  

Colossians 1:9-12

احسبوه كل فرح يا اخوتي حينما تقعون في تجارب متنوعة

3 عالمين ان امتحان ايمانكم ينشئ صبرا.

4 واما الصبر فليكن له عمل تام لكي تكونوا تامّين وكاملين غير ناقصين في شيء. لِذَلِكَ نَحْنُ أَيْضاً، مِنَ الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي فِيهِ سَمِعْنَا بِأَخْبَارِكُمْ، مَازِلْنَا نُصَلِّي وَنَتَضَرَّعُ لأَجْلِكُمْ، لأَنْ تَمْتَلِئُوا مِنْ تَمَامِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ لِمَشِيئَةِ اللهِ فِي كُلِّ حِكْمَةٍ وَإِدْرَاكٍ رُوحِيٍّ،

 10 لِكَيْ تَسْلُكُوا سُلُوكاً لاَئِقاً بِالرَّبِّ وَمُرْضِياً فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، مُنْتِجِينَ الثَّمَرَ فِي كُلِّ عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ وَنَامِينَ فِي مَعْرِفَةِ اللهِ إِلَى التَّمَامِ،

 11 مُتَشَدِّدِينَ بِكُلِّ قُوَّةٍ مُوَافِقَةٍ لِقُدْرَةِ مَجْدِهِ، لِتَتَمَكَّنُوا تَمَاماً مِنَ الاحْتِمَالِ وَطُولِ الْبَالِ،

 12 رَافِعِينَ الشُّكْرَ بِفَرَحٍ لِلآبِ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ أَهْلاً لِلاشْتِرَاكِ فِي مِيرَاثِ الْقِدِّيسِينَ فِي (مَلَكُوتِ) النُّورِ،

To all Christians who are in suffering let us rejoice in the prayer and promise:

²⁴ “The LORD bless you and keep you;

 ²⁵ The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;

²⁶ The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,  And give you peace.”’

يُبَارِكُكَ الرَّبُّ وَيَحْرُسُكَ.

 ²⁵ يُضِيءُ الرَّبُّ بِوَجْهِهِ عَلَيْكَ وَيَرْحَمُكَ.

 ²⁶ يَلْتَفِتُ الرَّبُّ بِوَجْهِهِ إِلَيْكَ وَيَمْنَحُكَ سَلاَماً.

Numbers 6:24-26

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Psalm 121:8