Imprisonment and Freedom: All in One Cell

I recently read in World Magazine of the imprisonment of Shi Weihan:

SENTENCED:  A Chinese court found house church leader and Christian bookstore owner Shi Weihan, 38, guilty June 10 of “illegal business operation,” sentencing him to three years in prison and fining him nearly $22,000. According to Compass Direct News, although Shi had printed Bibles and other Christian materials without government approval, he operated his business legally by only selling items for which he had permission to sell. — The Editors

Growing up in the American Christian church, I often heard stories about the persecuted, and was even encouraged to pray often for those suffering for the sake of Christ.  As an adult, I now realize on a much more realistic level what some are giving up for the sake of the Gospel.  Reading this brief snippet about Shi Weihan draws my heart to praise God for his desire to see the Good News spread.  His example also serves as a timely reminder that true freedom is only found in submission to Christ.  Although this sounds bizarre in the midst of a culture full of individual rights and independence, those in Christ will only be as free as their submission to Christ is deep.  I do not mean to treat persecution as a light matter, or to assume that obedience in these situations is easy.  However, for those in Christ, bondage comes in the form of independence from Christ’s commands.  This is why God has graciously left us the Holy Spirit to guide us in truth and convict us of our sin.

In our day-to-day American lives, we are not faced with the same situations of some brothers and sisters around the world.   The battle for obedience is ever-present, though, and we are called to fully submit to the Lord’s instructives, persecuted or not.  An unrepentant spirit or insubordinate will to the God’s directives makes us miserable.  The conviction of the Spirit is no light thing . . . and I thank God for that.  I need conviction more than I know, and often pray that I will have the same distaste for my sin that God does. 

I cannot imagine that sitting in prison is a joy.  In fact, I am sure it is terrible on many levels.  Only in the Lord’s economy, though, could a prison cell provide a freedom like no other.  Shi Weihan is suffering for distributing the Word of God.  The apostle Paul knew this same suffering and was quick to remind us that our lives are a vapor and our earthly struggles are incomparable to the joy we will experience in the life to come. 

In light of the death of Michael Jackson yesterday, someone told me that he was her idol, and so she refused to believe the news of his death.  Huh.  I took a minute to think through my personal list of heroes, and why I would name them so.  On that list are mainly those who have gone before me in the faith and continue to teach me from their example.  Individuals like Jim Elliott, Corrie Ten Boom and Marie Durant.  While these names will be left off of most lists as significant individuals in world history, they are some of the most faithful in God’s economy.  Today, the name Shi Weihan is added to my list of heroes, as I am encouraged by his faith and challenged by His desire to spread the Word of God.       

May we be obedient to pray for our brothers and sisters around the globe and strive to find the sweet freedom that comes only through submission.