Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     Jesus Himself chose silence a few times when faced with bullying. How can we know when it is right to be still or necessary to speak out?

2.     What criteria should be used in either private or public occurrences? Or is there a difference?

3.     Which is most difficult for you to deal with personally—veiled threats or outright confrontation? Why?

4.     Are you willing to defend others but not yourself if necessary?

Share: Under what circumstances have you overcome your own fears or anxiety to make sure others heard words of truth?

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Hebrews 11:35, “….refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection.”

Many churchgoers have heard the story of Paul and Silas, arrested—beaten—chained—saved the jailor from suicide. Their faith and witness brought resurrection truth to his whole household. But there is even more to the story.

After the jailor cleaned their wounds and received baptism, Paul and Silas returned to their cells. When the word came down to release them the jailor rushed to give them the good news. Imagine his astonishment when Paul refused.

“..Paul replied, ‘They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves.’” 

Paul and Silas knew full well that even greater penalties could be ahead of them, but they would not accept back alley bullying to go unnoticed, or hide in the dark. Paul put aside personal fear and pain to make clear his belief and trust in Messiah. He demanded to be heard so that the truth be spoken out loud. Shown visibly in action.

So many years have past but world history continues the use of fear, anxiety, meritocracy and intimidation to rule and silence honest conviction whenever possible.

Lord, give us courage to be silent when we need to be, and to be publically vocal when You so direct. Help us to be faithful witnesses of Your truth—Your words in all circumstances.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 51: 12-13

“Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, And sustain me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, And sinners will be converted to Thee.”

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Eleazar

It was not an old man

recognizing death’s call nearing

and choosing a hero’s end,

but a repulsion against

any time marred by

separation from Your word.

Repudiated pollution

chose truth.

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     Have you ever been tempted or enticed to compromise truth for self-interest? How and why?

2.     What were the results? Did your response strengthen or weaken your faith witness?

3.     How did this instance help prepare you for the next attack?

4.     Have you ever considered the possibility that at some point you may be tortured for your beliefs?

Share: What word from the Lord has helped you to witness in difficult circumstances?

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Hebrews 11:35, “…. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection.”

When the prophet Jeremiah stood in the Lord’s house and shared the warning given that Israel would be punished for forsaking God’s word, the priest Pashhur struck him and placed him in the stocks for punishment. (Jeremiah 19 & 20)

Perhaps Pashhur hoped both to bully Jeremiah into silence and to discredit him as a false prophet. But Jeremiah continued to witness to God’s word. And continued to be beaten, discriminated against, thrown into prison, placed under restraint and had his written words repeatedly destroyed. For all of his estimated 90 years of life, he remained a faithful witness to God’s words.

In the time of the Maccabees, when rulers tried to force replace Jewish laws of worship with Greek rituals and polluted the temple in Jerusalem, another faithful scribe of advanced years, Eleazar, chose death over unlawful sacrifice. Those around him tried to convince him to fake it—pretend to eat the swine flesh, just to stay alive.  But he refused the pretense so as not to lead the young to think he had turned to a false religion in his old age. He chose to “leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws.” He walked to the rack himself.

In our times we may not face physical torture, but we might be ridiculed, or discriminated against, or be ostracized within family or workplace. How will we know if our choices or words will bring witness to others or ‘pollute’ our spiritual lives by self-interest? Especially when what is a danger to one person’s faithfulness to the Lord is not to another. Sometimes we will need to speak out and other times remain silent.

Both Jeremiah and Eleazar faced a different attack on their faith witness, but both responded by the power of the Spirit’s guidance in their lives.

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  Hebrews 4: 12

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 116: 14-15

“I shall pay my vows to the Lord, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people.

Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones.”

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Widow’s Son

She opened her door

to a man who claimed

to be a prophet.

Yet hospitality

demanded her

obedience to house

this stranger.

He who alone

cared enough  for her

heartbreak to

plead her son’s life

to the Lord.

Witness to the word

alive in each.

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Hebrews 11:35, “Women received their dead by resurrection.”

Anyone who has sat a vigil in the hospital understands the widow’s grasp for hope when the prophet Elijah took her lifeless son up to his room. She had already witnessed the miracle of provision in the oil, but could this prophet who spoke God’s word really bring back breath?

Yet she chose to trust Elijah and released his body.

And Elijah entrusted the boy to prayer and God’s power, not yet knowing the reply.

Three times he called upon the Lord for life.

And the Lord heard the prophet’s voice.

“Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.” 1 Kings 17:24 Her hope had become not only her reality, but gave witness to the surety of Elijah’s words—God’s truth.  She too became a witness into faith through her suffering.

Lord, Help us to learn to trust your unseen truth regardless of the impossibilities we can see. Show us how to become living witnesses of Your words.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 140:12-13

“I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,

And justice for the poor.

Surely the righteous will give thanks to Thy name;

The upright will dwell in Thy presence.”