Friday, September 26, 2014

Marsha's Musings: When You Suffer For Doing Right (1 Peter 3:17-18 KJV)

 


For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:17-18 KJV)

I heard this letter read by Pastor Saeed's wife on the radio today. It illustrates this passage related to suffering for well doing.   His letter is so encouraging!  

My Dearest Rebekka Grace,
HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY! 
You are growing so fast and becoming more beautiful every day. I praise God for His 
faithfulness to me every day as I watch from a distance through the prison walls and
see pictures and hear stories of how you are growing both spiritually and physically. 
Oh how I long to see you.
I know that you question why you have prayed so many times for my return and yet
I am not home yet. Now there is a big WHY In your mind you are asking: WHY Jesus 
isn’t answering your prayers and the prayers of all of the people around the world 
praying for my release and for me to be home with you and our family. 
The answer to the WHY is WHO. WHO is control? LORD JESUS CHRIST is in control.
I desire for you to learn important lessons during these trying times. Lessons that 
you carry now and for the rest of your life. The answer to the WHY is WHO. The 
confusion of “WHY has all of this happened?” and “WHY your prayers are not 
answered yet” is resolved with understanding WHO is in control…LORD JESUS 
CHRIST, our GOD!
God is in control of the whole world and everything that is happening in it is for His 
good purpose, for His glory, and will be worked out for our good (Romans 8:28).
Jesus allows me to be kept here for His glory. He is doing something inside each of 
us and also outside in the world. People die and suffer for their Christian faith all 
over the world and some may wonder why? But you should know the answer of 
WHY is WHO. It is for Jesus. He is worth the price. And He has a plan to be glorified 
through our lives.
I want you to read the book of Habakkuk. He had the same question as you. But see
that the Lord answered him in Habakkuk 2:3, “the vision comes and doesn’t delay on 
time, wait for it.” Mommy and I always had big desires to serve Jesus and had great 
vision to be used for His Kingdom and for His Glory. So today we pay a cost because 
God, who created us, called us to that. 
And so I want you to know that the answer to all of your prayers is that God is in 
control, and He knows better than us what He is doing in our lives and all around 
the world. 
Therefore declare as Daniel and his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego did
in Daniel 3: 17-18! 
17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the 
burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will 
we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
And learn and declare as Habakkuk did that even if we do not get the result that we 
are looking for, God is still good and we WILL praise His Holy Name. 
Habakkuk 3:17-19 
17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though 
the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock 
may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He 
will make me walk on my high hills.
Then my dear beloved daughter Rebekka Grace, I pray God will bring me back home 
soon. But if not, we will still sing together as Habakkuk did HALLELUJAH, either 
separated by prison walls or together at home.
So, let Daddy hear you sing a loud Hallelujah that I can hear all the way here in the 
prison! 
I am so proud of you my sweet courageous daughter. 
Glory to God forever, Amen. 
Kisses and Blessings,
Daddy
* Written on or around September 10, 2014 – Pastor Saeed wrote this letter to his 
daughter for her 8th Birthday, which was on September 12, 2014. Though in the letter 
Pastor Saeed expresses his fondness for his daughter Rebekka, he has also continually 
expressed the depth of his longing to return home to his wife, Naghmeh, and his sixyear-old
son, Jacob. This is the third birthday of Rebekka’s Pastor Saeed has missed 
while he languishes in an Iranian prison for his faith.


No comments: