Daily Encouragement

“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified” (Galatians 3:1).

I enjoy studying history and have visited many museums. By far the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC is the most graphic and solemn museum I’ve ever visited, or maybe I should write “experienced”.  Hundreds of people slowly walk through the multiple floors of the museum, which depict the various stages of the holocaust.  Apart from the slow shuffling of feet on the hard floors one hears only periodic gasps followed by “Oh, my.” Those attempting to suppress quiet sniffles are heard throughout the corridor.

Probably the most moving part of the experience is observing a display that shows photos of the most horrible aspects of the holocaust.  To see it you have to make an effort because the designers put a privacy wall around it.  You have to look over this wall and down to view the monitors and the grainy early video.  Man’s inhumanities to his fellow man are astounding.   Amazingly, just 65 years ago Hitler and his minions sought to keep these activities in the concentration camps secret. And now there are many who want to deny it ever happened in the first place.

This inhumanity continues today.  A news clip showed several martyred, bloodied Christians being stomped on by gleeful Muslim fanatics.  Angry Hindu mobs in the Orissa state of India are actively persecuting the small Christian remnant. Graphic posters show dismembered and chemically scalded preborn children; “products” of abortion.  The abortionists and their deluded supporters hate these images, claiming they incite violence!  What astounding hypocrisy.

We have no photos of the crucifixion of our Lord, only the visual depictions of artists, who generally understate the likely horror of the scene.  Several years ago the “Passion of the Christ” film more accurately conveyed the images of the real historic event.

The Galatians had not been there and most certainly had not seen any movies.  Yet Paul declares to them, “before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.” What descriptive preaching this must have been!  This makes me wonder had Paul himself been a witness at the Crucifixion? Had Peter or an earlier eyewitness been to this region and shared the story clearly portraying Jesus Christ’s crucifixion?

Today let us continue to serve our crucified and risen Lord.  And let us continue to remember our suffering brothers and sisters all around the world, the unborn children, and others subject to violence.

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we pray that with unveiled faces we will reflect Jesus’ glory as we are being transformed into Your likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord Jesus.  May we not be lacking in zeal but keep our spiritual fervor as we serve You.  Keep us joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer as we share with God’s people who are in need and the world that is even needier as they lack a relationship with You.  Amen.

See II Corinthians 3:18, Romans 12:11-13a