My heart goes out to the many Christians around the world who suffer persecution. In honor of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, I offer you this prayer by an (unnamed) Asian woman at the 2016 Lausanne Movement’s Younger Leaders Gathering:
We pray for our dear brothers and sisters around the globe who are now suffering for the name of Jesus. We claim that no suppression from the authority, no adversity from other religions, no terrorist threat could separate us from the love of Jesus, or the body of Christ. We ask for your true freedom, your true comfort and your true peace and joy to be with those who are restricted by human powers. Remember your children and fight for them and for your glory. And save the crowns of righteousness for them.
Lord, we also pray for ourselves as we bear the torch from the hands of those who gave their lives proclaiming Jesus. Let us inherit the same spirit, the spirit that inspired them and sustained them. Let us keep the memory of suffering fresh so that we can encourage those who are in sufferings. Give us strength and courage to humbly and willingly walk on the same path of Calvary that our fathers, grandfathers and saints of history have walked on.
(From The Fellowship of the Suffering, by Paul Borthwick and Dave Ripper. InterVarsity Press, 2018.)