Reflections on Intercession

Yesterday was Thursday, May 24 - Eritrean Independence day.  But it was also the day that we have begun our 40 days of prayer for our country and Church.  As we continue to pray and intercede for our people and the persecuted Church, let us reflect on the following thoughts on the duty of Christian prayer and Intercession.

“On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the LORD in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.”  Isa 62:6

I would like to share some thoughts about standing in the gap. Andrew Murray wrote, “It is when intercession for the whole Church, by the whole Church ascends to God's throne that the Spirit of Unity and Power can have its full sway.”

He also wrote, “Prayer and Intercession, [is] the link between heaven and earth.

Once in a prison in Eritrea, a guard asked a praying Christian what he was doing. He responded, “I am crying to the heavenly court for Mercy and Justice!”

Let us be reminded that our help is only from the Lord and only by remaining on our knees.

May these words of reflection help and inspire us to persevere in prayer throughout the 40 days campaign.

We are in Christ, the greatest Advocate and Intercessor for His people!

ZA  (Eritrean pastor)

Where is God?

The Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with hard labour... in all their hard labour the Egyptians used them ruthlessly. Exodus 1:12-14

When the closure of churches became inevitable in Eritrea and many brothers and sisters were taken to prison because of their Christian belief, Eritrean Christians could not understand what was happening to the believers in Eritrea. They came to the pastors and asked, “Where is God?”  It was the same with the people of Israel who suffered in Egypt.

At first, all went well with God's people in Egypt. The Pharaoh was kind to them and they prospered in this foreign country. However, 400 years later, the picture changed completely. The new Pharaoh did not know the story of Joseph. Also, the Israelites had increased in numbers to such an extent that they became a threat to the Egyptians.

Pharaoh's solution was to kill all newborn Israelite boys and to use the people for slave labour. The people suffered greatly. It seemed to them as though God had forgotten about them. But God never forgets His children.

Whenever Christians go through trials and hardships, the tendency of their hearts is to say, these things should not happen to me. God has promised us protection and provision during hard times. But as God's children, we should remember the true reality of the Christian life. God never promised that we will be exempted from all the troubles of life. In fact it was our Lord Jesus Christ who said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble.”

A certain Christian woman in Eritrea who found herself completely overwhelmed by the persecution, one day asked her pastor, “Do you think what is happening to us as Christians in Eritrea, happens to other Christians elsewhere? I feel our suffering is unique.” No, it is not. It may look different, but we are not the only people who are persecuted for our Christian faith.

As the Israelites suffered, God was already working to bring about their deliverance. Whenever we are in trouble as God's people, we are not sure what tomorrow will bring. But let us not doubt: God never forsakes His children.

Isn't that what the Lord was doing for the people of Israel? At the time that they suffered and doubted His fatherly love and care, the Lord was preparing Moses to set them free from their bondage in Egypt and to lead them to a land of great abundance. Did the people of Israel ask for that? Did they ask God to send Moses? No. God surprised Israel who doubted His faithfulness by sending Moses.

Beloved, do not doubt God and His true and precious promises. Our God is a God of surprises. He is the God of the impossible.  As an Eritrean, there are times that we think our cause is impossible even to God. Remember, what is impossible for man is always possible with God. Israel’s deliverance was possible for God.  If the things you face, cause you to question God's caring love for you, remember the story of Israel. While they doubted God, and believed that He had forgotten about them, He was already bringing about their salvation. So, as we deal with our tough situation, let us also consider it in faith. He is already in the process of bringing about our deliverance. 

As you do that, your heart might say but how? I see no sign of it? Remember that it was the same for the people of Israel.  They also said our cause is too complicated and hard to be solved.  But then Moses was sent.  We worship and wait upon the same God. What He did for the Israelites then, He can do for us today.  Let us keep trusting and believing His precious promise, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”

Eritrean Pastor

A cry for freedom

I live and work in my country. Secure among my own people, I generally did not understand how difficult life for a refugee can be. But this state of ignorance changed rather abruptly when I met a few Eritrean brethren for the first time about one year ago.

During that first meeting, I heard firsthand their painful experiences. My eyes and heart opened as I listened. I was especially touched by the plight of the women.

That sharing birthed a number of friendships that continue to grow. Based on mutual respect, trust, love for God and for humanity, our friendships defy the language barrier. We have cried, laughed, prayed and encouraged each other.

Using an interesting mix of hand gestures, facial expressions and broken English, we manage to understand each other perfectly.

They live among us, but due to the language differences are kept apart. I realized that I was among the first ‘locals’ to freely interact with many of them.

I empathise with these loved ones as I sense an almost tangible yearning to go back home in their hearts. It is a silent cry, so deep and so intense that it cannot be expressed. It can only be felt.

But, for many, until they are free to worship Christ openly, they must remain away.  Away from all things familiar; sights, sounds, people and even foods, not knowing when, if ever, they will go back to Eritrea.

I realized after attending a few wonderful Eritrean weddings, that many of these newlyweds are forced to live apart as the husbands search for work in other countries. Such couple can only hope and pray for the clearance of their refugee mandate papers so that they can be together.

I have learnt much and in the process grown to admire the women of Eritrea. Refreshingly feminine in dress and demeanour; blessed with wonderful chocolate skin tones and beautiful hair; Eritrean women retain a quiet dignity that defies the hardships and loneliness they face as refugees.

I celebrate them for they are a strong people; strong in faith, strong in love for God, strong in resolve, never to let go of their Saviour. Optimistic and lively, they laugh much, are a very close knit community and support one another through the tough times. 

For me, there is much to learn from the way they handle adversity. May I show Christ to them even as they encourage and challenge me with their faith, grace and strength.

In conclusion - I must confess that I have grown to love their traditional food - Delicious!
Christine - Open Doors

The least and the most we can do

In May this year it will be ten years. I remember the day a colleague came back from Asmara telling us about the meeting he had with church leaders during his visit. All religious groups outside of the Orthodox Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Catholic Church and Islam had just been told that they needed to register with the government. It involved filling in an application form, supplying details of all members and revealing all financial info.

As a group we speculated over the implications of this move. Clouds of uncertainty seemed to be gathering on the horizon. But we did not even start to grasp what it was that lay ahead for our brothers and sisters in Eritrea. We did not have to wait long for the picture to unfold as report after report of crackdowns reached our in-boxes. While the future looked grim and uncertain, the intentions of the government were very clear. Worship services were interrupted. National service consignees belonging to “unregistered” groups had their Bibles confiscated and burnt and they were punished brutally. Those arrested were held in cramped and suffocating cells. What followed were torture, humiliation and starvation. It became the experience of many thousands of believers. We know of at least 16 who have died as a result of the conditions.

Since those early days I have had to read, digest and write countless reports on what was happening to my spiritual family in Eritrea. I have met many believers who told me hair-raising stories of suffering. The brutality of it all was hard for me to grasp.
But to a certain degree, I was perplexed even more by the response of the Christians who lived to tell me their tale. Where I expected anger, hatred and extreme criticism in response to their suffering, I most often heard love, forgiveness, grace and a desire for good to those who orchestrate such cruelty.

Recently an older man who seems to have seen it all told me his story. In a matter-of-fact manner he told me of all that has been done to him. The longer he spoke, the more despondent I got. I grew silent as he talked, struggling with a response in line with what I felt inside. He sensed that. There was a moment of silence. Then he shifted in his seat, dropped his grey head a little and said, “Anyway, we don’t pray for a replacement of our government. We pray for their salvation.”
The man then went on to list all the things we could do to help. Every point he gave, started with, “Pray for...” Like so many times in the past, it dawned on me. The least we can do to help, is the best we can do to help. Prayer is what our brothers and sisters in Eritrea crave for, ask for and thank us for most.

Prayer is what LovEritrea is all about. There is much we could ask you to do. But what we want to ask you most urgently is to join us in prayer.

Visit our website http://www.loveritrea.org/ to stay in the loop.

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You will be helping more than you realize.