Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
This prayer was found in the clothing of a dead child at Ravensbrück concentration camp.
O Lord, remember not only the men and woman of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all of the suffering they have inflicted upon us:
Instead remember the fruits we have borne because of this suffering, our fellowship, our loyalty to one another, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown from this trouble.
When our persecutors come to be judged by you, let all of these fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness.
There was no reference to the age of the child, but the point is, if a child (of any age) can hold this kind of sentiment, so can we. Never having been in a concentration camp, may we never know the circumstances this child lived in. We are not told any of the grim details of the end of his/her life but it could not have been a happy, healthy time.
Here in the UK we are fortunate to live in relative safety, no one is condemned for reading the bible, we do not need to hide this activity from anyone. Neither does anyone try to stop us from praying, or attending church, if we are able, for this we thank and praise God.
I wonder what would have happened to the child of Ravensbrück, if the prayer had been found before they died. Would it have touched an enemy heart or been destroyed. Would it have resulted in a beating? So many questions jostle in my mind never to be answered.
We also should be thinking of our own immortality, considering the times we are living in and what we will face in the future, are we going to be ready for the return of Jesus Christ. How far in the future that will be nobody knows, but God does know, and we need to be ready for His return or we could be numbered with the goats instead of the sheep, when the Good Shepherd judges us. Now is the time for our own prayers and confessions, in readiness for that day.
There are so many signs of the presence of Satan in the world, which will only get worse as time moves on.
Most world governments are preparing for wars and conflict which are on the horizon. Followers of Christ are falling away in the western world while in Eastern countries the church is growing, even under oppression and persecution. Brothers and sisters meet in secret and share the gospel, knowing that one loose tongue could mean torture and death for them.
How many of us can profess such faithfulness and commitment? Have we sown all our seeds in readiness for the harvest?
Prayer
Merciful Father, thank You for the opportunities we have to praise and worship You, and for the opportunities to share the Gospel with others. Thank You that Jesus is being preached in every continent and island. Hear our prayer for the safety of those brothers and sisters who are at risk because of their faith, please keep them safe. Bless those who are living with violence and war around the world and bless also the countries affected by earthquake and other disasters. Let Your Son and Spirit be with us as we ask forgiveness for our sins and selfishness, and let them guide us on the path Jesus pointed us toward, In Jesus own name we pray, amen.
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