40 Days of Faith: Day 38

Hebrews 11:36-37a – Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword… 

Just this week, at the time of this writing, I received an email that reads:
I pray this message finds you all well. I wanted to share something close to my heart. As you may know, there has been an ongoing campaign to raise awareness about the persecution of Christians in Eritrea and beyond. Believers there continue to face imprisonment, intimidation, and suffering simply for practicing their faith.

Among them are seven ministers who have now been imprisoned for two decades simply for leading their congregations. Their story is a reminder of the heavy price many pay to remain faithful.

I believe it is important for us, as part of the body of Christ, to remember them, pray for them, and create awareness among our church members and wider communities.[1]

 Attached to this email were a number of resources focused on the country of Eritrea on the eastern coast of Africa, that is persecuting Christians. A 2025 report from the USCIRF states:

 As of May, over 350 Christians were imprisoned, including more than 80 whom authorities arrested during the first five months of the year. Another estimate places 10,000 prisoners of conscience of all types in over 300 facilities around the country. Government authorities targeted several communities, including Baptists, Pentecostals, and others, for persecution and arrest, calling them “agents of the West.” As in prior years, the government encouraged community surveillance of nontraditional Protestant Christians, labeling them “unpatriotic.” The state sometimes temporarily releases prisoners but re-arrests them if they do not renounce their faith and regularly report to authorities. Police at times arrest entire Christian families, including children, during the early morning hours. The month of May marked the 20th anniversary of the arrests of Pastors Kiflu Gebremeskel and Haile Naizghe, both associated with the banned Full Gospel Church of Eritrea.[2]

 As you read these reports, you realize that so many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world are persecuted for their faith in Jesus. This persecution of followers of Jesus is nothing new. From the stoning of Stephen, the arrests of followers of the Way by Saul, as he zealously persecuted the church, to those who suffered under Roman persecution for much of the first three centuries, the tactics of those opposed to Jesus haven’t changed much.

 Consider The Martyrs of Abitinae (AD 304), whose confession was, “We Cannot Live Without Sunday.”

 During Emperor Diocletian’s fierce persecution of Christians in the early 4th century, Roman law forbade gatherings for worship. In the town of Abitinae (modern-day Tunisia), a group of 49 Christians defied the decree by meeting secretly on Sunday to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

 Soldiers stormed their gathering and dragged them before the governor. When interrogated about why they broke the imperial edict, their leader, Emeritus, answered simply, “Sine dominico non possumus,” which means, “Without Sunday, we cannot live.”

 The governor mocked them, beat them, and demanded they renounce Christ. They refused. One by one, men and women, wealthy and poor, old and young, testified that their life had no meaning apart from worshiping Jesus.

 They were tortured with whips, chains, and cruel imprisonment. Many were executed by the sword. Yet they died declaring that Christ was worth more than life itself.[3]

 Or consider Blandina, one of the martyrs of Lyons and Vienne (AD 177, Gaul/France).
 In southern France, Christians faced brutal persecution under Marcus Aurelius. Many were tortured publicly—flogged, burned, and exposed to wild beasts. A young slave-girl named Blandina was especially mocked for her weakness. Yet she endured whipping, roasting, and being thrown to animals, continually confessing: “I am a Christian, and nothing wicked is done among us.” She finally died on the cross-shaped stake, a living picture of her Savior.[4]

 How might you respond if you were arrested because the authorities learned you were a Christian? Would you stay faithful because you know what lies ahead is far better than what you possess today?

 Faith like this both humbles and strengthens us. We are reminded that while our daily struggles may feel heavy, countless brothers and sisters around the world face imprisonment, torture, and even death simply for naming the name of Christ. Their courage calls us to deeper faith, to live boldly for Jesus in our own context, and to lift them up in prayer.

 So today, take time to pray for the persecuted church. Pray for endurance, courage, and joy for those suffering for Christ’s sake. Pray that their testimony would win many to Jesus. And pray also for your own faith—that God would strengthen you to stand firm in the face of trials, great or small.

 Prayer
Lord, we lift up our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. Strengthen their hearts, sustain their faith, and surround them with Your presence. Give them courage to endure and hope that cannot be taken away. And Father, strengthen my own faith. Help me to be bold, unashamed, and faithful—whether in small daily trials or in moments of greater cost. May my life, like theirs, declare that Christ is worth more than life itself. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
 
[1] Email sent to me, August 26, 2025.
[2] United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), 2025 Annual Report on Eritrea, April 2025, https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2025-04/Eritrea 2025 USCIRF Annual Report.pdf.
[3] “Martyrs of Abitinae.” Wikipedia. Last modified July 20, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Abitinae.
[4] Blandina: A Sister in Christ and a Spiritual Mother, The Gospel Coalition | Canada, accessed August 2025, https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org.