‘FREEDOM!”

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 747

August 5, 2025///

I read this last week on Franklin Graham’s Facebook page!

“While the news focuses on tariffs and other things, the world is strangely silent about the slaughter of Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Muslim jihadists.

Last Sunday, 49 people were brutally hacked to death with machetes during a church service in the village of Komanda—horrifically, 9 of those decapitated that day were children. Several other village children were kidnapped. Shops and businesses were burned. A survivor said there is “sadness upon sadness everywhere. Everything they had is lost…” Can you imagine the horror?

And this isn’t an isolated incident—it’s ongoing. Over 4000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria over the last year. In Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 16 million Christians have fled their homes because of the incredible violence. One person said, “The church is on the run.” Join me in praying for these Christians.”

I thought about this as I worshipped two days ago in our beautiful, comfortable sanctuary with awesome songs and screens of words and I prayed for the Believers all over the world that do not enjoy the freedom to worship as they please.

I began to imagine the horror of crazed people entering that place and killing, beheading, and cutting some to pieces.

WHAT A PRIVILEDGE WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY TO WORSHIP OR IF YOU CHOOSE: NOT TO WORSHIP.

Do we understand the privilege we have in the United States of America?

Maybe you are part of the ones who believe in God and His son Jesus and have confessed Him as your Savior, but various things have kept you from gathering with others to spend time focusing on the one who gave His life for us? You have drifted and you are disobeying the Bible that tells us to not fail to assemble with others.

We need the time to just focus our mind, will, and emotions on our savior and let the presence of God fill us and realign our desires to an eternal focus!

I believe if we truly understand what a privilege this freedom to worship is we would not take it lightly!

We would get planted in a local Bible Believing Church and stand fast in the liberty Christ gives us!

I believe those who find themselves in church regularly, would not be texting, thinking of what was going to happen that afternoon or the next day, but would set their minds on Christ and what he did for us on the Cross!

How focused are we when we walk in our churches to gather with others?

What is the reason we do not gather with other believers?

What if those choices were taken away from us?

Would we regret the casual way we treated church services or ignored them all together!

May we understand this Freedom was not free and others died that we can gather without fear.

That article just stirred me inside and as we examine our walk in the freedoms we have in this country, may we remember those believers around the world who give up everything to serve the savior.

Would we be so determined we would secretly meet in places that could be invaded just any minute? Is our faith strong enough to endure that kind of persecution?

Let us take hold of the freedom we enjoy and use it to it’s fullest to bring others to Christ!

__________________________________________

Father, my heart breaks for the Christians in other parts of the world who are suffering so much because they believe! I want to thank you from the depth of my heart that we can walk into the church of our choice and worship. I want to thank you for waking us up to the incredible privilege this is and let us not take it for granted! May each of us understand the strength that comes within us when we gather with others to focus our minds and spirits on our Lord God Almighty! In Jesus’ name I pray this! Amen!

Love, MeMaw!