Will You Accept The Cost?

 

Just when one tries to convince themselves – “They’ll never let that happen” – another story surfaces that makes the blood run cold. Headline: “North Korea 'throws toddler in jail for life' after his parents are caught with a Bible” reported by Antony Thrower News Reporter, Michael Havis, 26 May 2023. A toddler is said to have been sentenced to life in a North Korean prison camp after his parents were discovered with a Bible in their home. The shocking tale was revealed by the US State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report. It claimed the two-year-old and his entire family were locked up for their religious beliefs. The prison camp sentence has nothing to do with the fact that the toddler’s parents had a Bible in the house but centers around the fact that Korean officials found evidence of baby food on the pages leading them to believe the parents were teaching their child about God from the Bible. The parents will face “re-education” and spend the rest of their life in prison. In communist North Korea, Christians can be executed, or face anything from 15 years to life in a prison camp, imposed on up to three generations of the immediate family of the person found guilty. As many as 70,000 Christians have been imprisoned for their faith under the Kim Jong-un regime, out of a possible population of 400,000. The new publication said several North Korean Christians hid their faith from their children. It cited the finding of one NGO, Open Doors USA (ODUSA), which said: “A Christian is never safe. Children are encouraged to tell their teachers about any sign of faith in their parents’ home.” Officially, North Korea guarantees its people religious freedom in its constitution and the regime highlights the churches it has built in Pyongyang as proof. But the publication said these churches operated only as “showpieces for foreigners”. What one does not see are children or young working-age people attending worship – only men 65+ and women 40+ years old.

When 156,000 American, British, and Canadian soldiers landed at Normandy, France on June 6, 1944, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. More than 4,000 Allied soldiers died during that World War II battle. What a high price, and an enormous sacrifice! Most people agree that although the cost was high, the decision American General Dwight D. Eisenhower made to launch the invasion was a noble one, and the goal of defeating the Nazi regime was worth the sacrifice. (All for naught in today’s world.)

[Matthew 10:32-39] Jesus admonishes us to “count the cost” of being His disciple (Luke 14:25-33). In fact, He said, “those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:33). How much are you willing to lose for the Lord? Will You Give Up Family? Jesus certainly loved His mother. Submitting to His parents (Luke 2:51), and later telling John to take care of her after His death (John 19:25-27) are clear evidence of this fact. However, He also placed obedience to the Father’s word above family (Luke 8:20-21). Jesus loved God more. Is that too high of a price to pay? Will You Give Up Self? Jesus was God in the flesh (John 1:1,14), but He lowered Himself and took on the form of a bondservant, coming in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-8). He deemed the goal of salvation to be worthy of His sacrifice. His disciples put this example in action themselves (Luke 9:23; 18:28; Philippians 3:3-11) by denying self. Is that too much for us to pay? Will You Give Up the World? Jesus said He was not of this world (John 8:23), and neither is His kingdom (John 18:36). The cross meant suffering the shame and scorn of the world. The world will treat you this way, as well (John 15:18). If we chose the Lord, we must reject the world (James 4:4). Will you accept the cost?