“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer
(up close and personal with a sheep / Slieve League, Co Donegal, Ireland / Julie Cook / 2015)
Maybe I read more news then I should…
Maybe I read the stories that don’t receive the same amount of coverage or
attention as say… those stories which fill and flood our news outlets…
just as excessive rains fill a sewer system…
Sending a sea of garbage filled overflow flooding into all of our lives…
whether we ask for it or not…
For it seems that there are just too many “newsless” stories which seem to overshadow the truly more pressing stories…
those stories that we really should be focusing on…
especially as Christians…
Why as Christians you ask?
Why should I worry myself with the happenings and business of things which take place
“over there” you muse?
Well…because in a plain spoken reminder, by one who did just that…
Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us that when Christ calls…
when He calls both you and I…
it is a call to die…
to die unto self.
We are united in the faith and fellowship in the single body of Christ,
with our brothers and sisters around this globe…
and when one part of the body hurts and aches,
so does the whole…
It behooves us to be mindful that we have a vested interest in the
honoring of God’s sovereign land of Israel…
of which the US and the current administration has opted not to do…
It behooves us to be aware of the sacrifices made globally
by our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer because of their faith.
Those who are imprisoned, tortured and killed just for worshiping…
What will ever stop that happening say…one day to us…
It behooves us to be mindful that we in the West take for granted the freedom
to walk into our various houses of worship while so many others cannot…
It behooves us to note that if we fail to speak or act on their behalf,
on the behalf of countless others scattered around this ailing world…
then who will remain to act on ours…..
The following links are to recent stories…
stories reporting the events taking place in Israel,
the Christian genocide in Iraq by IS, the destruction of churches in China and
how 2015 was a very bad year for Christians worldwide:
http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-says-israels-netanyahu-opted-cancel-visit-211709688.html
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/catholics-urge-obama-to-use-1382330232389686.html
http://uverse.com/uv/watch/c___Wbh9DOcn41YA?ref=yfp
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me
Martin Niemoller
cookiecrumbstoliveby 
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
A very hard message to swallow as I just worshipped God in a beautiful Sacrifice of the Mass, in a beautiful church, having now a beautiful dinner in a comfortable place with no fear of saying Jesus is Lord. A good reminder to me when any part of the Body of Christ suffers, I suffer as well as when one rejoices, I rejoice. Thank you Julie.
Thank you Mike for your thoughtful response. It is often so hard for us in the West to turn our focus to those elsewhere in the world who do not have the same levels of comfort, opportunities and or freedoms to live life…Life without fear from reprisals or persecution. When we hear of such, Christianity is not the first religion or the group of people that usually comes to mind. We have a hard time imagining—our leaders aren’t thinking about it—so it is up to us, the faithful, to be the voice for those who are being silenced.
Blessings to you and your family on this beautiful Sunday.
Love the photo of the sheep. He is a handsome fellow for sure. And as always your message is hard-hitting, right-on, and absolutely the truth!
You shake us our of a chairs of complacency and remind us what it is we are supposed to be doing as followers of Christ. Love and hugs, N 🙂 ❤