Ambassadors

My dear friend is traveling again. Please join with me in praying for her safety. She has traveled to countries (as I did) where there were State Department travel advisories. In her case, there have been warnings, not just advisories.

The trips are necessary, though – and in the latest Warning area, our church is supporting a missionary in the same city as her hotel. That hotel was guarded by armed troops, and travel from her hotel to the mission church was denied.

There are many places in our world where citizens are not safe. Recent news articles have spoken of high murder rates in American cities, some close to the United States, others in thousands of miles away – and those are ones not considered in military conflict.

While most of us consider the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan religious “watch squads” irritating if not intimidating citizens, they are not alone. In Saudi Arabia the Mutaween refers to a shortened version of “Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vices”, who stopped another friend of mine and required that she cover her head. In Israel, modesty squads enforce ultra-Orthodox views of women’s dress and activities. Their acid attack this summer made international headlines. A self-styled Baptist preacher harasses families who lost loved ones in Iraq. I would not wish to be in the same company as any of these who compel obedience to religious laws interpreted differently within their own communities.

What a witness for those who do not know God. To see His people, who are called by His name, ignoring His word, denying Him glory. Thank you, but I’d rather not.

If you worship and serve God, please keep in mind as you travel that people will come to know this. They will know Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20 KJV)