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.
God is faithful. None of these things move me...that I might finish my race with joy...and testify to the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 12:9; Acts 20:24 Coram Deo~Living Before the Face of God
Friday, September 26, 2014
Marsha's Musings: When You Suffer For Doing Right (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!
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