Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-19
Rachel Scott was the first person killed in the deadly rampage at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Facing death, Rachel, a known follower of Christ, was asked by the killers if she believed in God. When she answered yes, they shot her.
What would give a Christian the courage, especially a teenager like Rachel, to die for their faith? You may wonder, like me, if you would have the strength to be so bold in the face of death. Or perhaps you’re simply asking why would God allow his precious child to face this kind of persecution? I don’t pretend to know the answer, but I do know that evil is real, and when we join with God, we are taking sides against evil in a real struggle over life and death. The scripture says to not be surprised when we encounter intense trials. Jesus suffered and died, and when we suffer for being a Christian, whether physical or otherwise, we become a partner with Him in his sufferings.
Our nature is to avoid suffering and persecution, and we would never go looking for it. However, when we trust our lives completely to God, when we step out from our comfort zone and take a risk for God, we will encounter persecution. It is inevitable, and we should be prepared and not run when it happens. Peter even said to “be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you”. Rachel Scott was so sold out for Christ, so completely given over to his plans for her life that she was prepared to do whatever God called to do. You and I can’t muster up the courage to face a martyrs death, or extreme persecution, we don’t have it in us. However, we can give ourselves completely to God and as a result receive the confidence from God’s Spirit to put ourselves on the front lines. Then we will realize the deep peace that comes from the knowledge that God is with us no matter what happens.
Peter had tried to convince Jesus to avoid taking a risk and run from suffering. (Matthew 16:23-26). Jesus uttered the well known words, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” Jesus then used this opportunity to teach all the disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” Christ calls all Christians to trust our lives, our dreams, our agenda, our relationships, our possessions, our safety, our families, completely to him, even if it means risk and suffering for His sake.
Do we trust Him enough to step out? Do we trust Him enough to become partners in His suffering? Not many Christians are called to die for their faith, but all Christians are called to die daily to their flesh and desires. If we do that, if we are willing to trust him completely with our life, God will use us in ways we can’t possibly imagine. Rachel Scott’s life became a seed that grew and multiplied many times over for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the glory of God. Trusting Christ for salvation is one thing, but trusting Him completely with our lives is quite another. Download PDF - Trusting Our Lives Completely to God
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