One year ago, a man named Saeed Abedini was taken off of a bus in Iran and put under arrest for spreading the Gospel. He had travelled to his homeland to open an orphanage for the children of his people. What started as a diplomatic mission went downhill quickly. He was put on trial, found guilty and sentenced to eight years in the infamous Elvin prison, a prison known for its brutal treatment of prisoners. He has been separated from his family for one year. He has a wife and two young children in Idaho because he is an American citizen.
Today, people gathered all over this country and held prayer vigils for this pastor. The people of God joined together to plead on Pastor Saeed's behalf. I could not make one of the vigils, but I prayed here at my home. I pray for him everyday that God would free him, but while he is there that he would be light for the kingdom. My oldest son, Caedmon, prays for him as well. He can't believe that he has been in prison for that long.
The reason I tell this is because his story has challenged me. I sit and write this at my iMac computer with iTunes playing my music in my comfortable home in Massachusetts. I have everything I need. I have my family, clothes to wear, food to eat and so many extras that we are having a garage sale this Saturday to get rid of stuff. I am blessed by God and am thankful for what He has given me. However, what am I doing for the kingdom on a daily basis?
Pastor Saeed is hurting physically, emotionally, and perhaps spiritually at times. But, if you read the letters he has sent, his faith has not wavered. He still continues to live for Christ despite the conditions he is in. He still wants to be a light for Christ and spread His Gospel no matter what. He wants his wife and kids to continue to be a light for Christ.
I get so caught up in my own business that I forget to be that light for Christ. I think about my to-do list everyday. I think about what I need to get done because of the other commitments I may still have later that day or that week. I go to church and preach that we need to spread the Gospel, but what am I doing to spread the Gospel. Now, I know I'm a little hard on myself. I know that there are things I do on a weekly basis that further the kingdom of God. However, Pastor Saeed's story has inspired me to do even more.
How important is the Gospel to us? We live in a consumer driven society. We want the latest and greatest all the time. Old means outdate and obsolete. Therefore, ideas like being born again, redemption, repentance, etc. are concepts that may seem old fashioned. Even the Gospel becomes old because we want "relevant" messages that teach us to be a better person. We want messages that help us financially so that we can add more stuff to our already cluttered lives.
As I'm writing this, I am listening to the song "How He Loves" by David Crowder. A line in the song says, "If grace were an ocean, we're all sinking." The Gospel should never be boring to us. It should never be seen as outdate or obsolete because it is so deep and rich. It is beautiful. It's exciting. It brings hope, mercy, love, forgiveness, restoration, redemption, etc.
Pastor Saeed sits in a prison cell in Iran because he loves Jesus. He loves the Gospel so much that he was willing to go anywhere and do anything in order that people would hear it. I'm tired of wasting my days checking off to-do lists. I'm ready to be passionate about Jesus and the Gospel again. I don't want another self-help message. I want the Gospel because I don't get it yet; it's too deep. I want more and I want to do more for my King who did everything for me.
