Today is worship! What is so important about our public worship? There are many in our world who have to worship in secrecy. Places like North Korea, parts of China, Somalia… they meet in secret, and owning a Bible is against the law! In Afghanistan, the followers of Jesus are forced to meet secretly… if they can even meet at all! In Iran, the churches are monitored and regularly raided by their government. I could go on and on, talking about North Sudan, Pakistan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Libya, etc., these who allow no public worship and abuse their citizens with torture and fines, along with many other ways of persecuting them. It is shocking how many nations oppress the church of Christ. A few years ago I was watching one of our LA Council meetings on cable television. One of the council members was trying to put into law a noise ordinance, to be complied with by our own local churches. I was stunned this was even happening, but what really blew my mind was that there was not one American pastor present at this meeting to be able to object to this plan… including myself! However, there were about 15 Chinese pastors all arguing with this council member that his law was like China law- where freedom for religion was not allowed! Pastor after pastor raised the same point. “We came to escape that restricted environment and enjoy the religious freedom of America!” Horrified and saddened, they urgently appealed to prevent this new “noise ordinance law”. Thankfully, these faithful and courageous pastors won the conversation and this ordinance did not pass! What reason could there be behind a law that was made to squelch and forbid the noise coming from a local church? Sounds of prayer and praise spilling over into a community surrounding the church! Pray for our use of the gift of freedom-of religion! Pray for opportunities when asked what our “noise” is all about, that we will be eager to listen and faithful to tell others that, Jesus is what all this noise is all about! “Lord, You have instructed us to tell, shout, and rejoice with speech, song and words declaring our forgiveness! We, a people chosen of God, living lives that matter, must never cease to express our gratitude for our freedom from sins! How shall they hear without a preacher or spokesmen? Lord, send us before we lose the freedom to speak and listen, or to question and answer that the meaning of life is in a relationship with You! Amen.”
