Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Lock and Key (08/21/14)
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TITLE: Lament | Previous Challenge Entry
By Gary Ritter
08/22/14 -
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You know all that he did in Your Name. He risked his life time after time. He flew over that island country, my homeland, to bring the Good News to my people. He knew that each time he reached the shores of this island nation he became a target. This is a hostile country, with a ruthless dictator at its head, a poisonous snake. A hater of all things good, one who despises You, Father.
My Richard worked with mission organizations that know Your Word is precious. They helped him, supplied him with tracts and other materials about Jesus he could drop from the sky. Richard did that, more than faithfully. He never knew who would read them, but his faith kept him going, assured his work wasn’t in vain. Every time he left me I shuddered. Every time he returned I rejoiced.
One time Richard didn’t come back. His plane had engine problems; it forced him to land on a dark stretch of deserted road. As soon as he did the authorities converged. He became the prisoner of this evil regime.
Blessed Jesus, he never gave up hope. They interrogated him, accused him of working for the CIA, put him under lock and key in dank, stinking cells. They were black as the pit and cold, so cold. Day after day they wore him down, questioning him for hours.
But You, O Lord, were with him. You gave him the strength to pray for his captors. You gave him the heart to sing of Your great love, to worship You, even in the darkness and despair of his prison cell. You used him, Lord, after his jailers were finally convinced he didn’t work for the enemy. He was as he said, a Jesus Freak. Among the other prisoners he raised up Your Name. They congregated to sing of their Redeemer. The guards threatened, then beat them. Still they sang.
Through our prayers, Father, they released Richard years earlier than the sentence they had decreed. His deliverance and return to our family was a time of immense joy.
Over the subsequent years he followed You. He continued to reflect Your mercy. He helped others imprisoned for their bold stand for Jesus.
But something happened. I can’t explain it. Richard and I grew apart. With us both serving You it doesn’t seem possible.
You said in Your Word that those who are Yours will never sin. How then could sin arise in Richard’s heart? It did.
There were nights he didn’t come home for hours after he should have. The children asked, “Where’s Daddy?” I couldn’t tell them.
I confronted him. He said he was working late. A wife knows. I couldn’t believe him.
Prayer came hard then, Father. I know You are faithful. I knew in my heart Richard was not.
They found him in a secluded part of a large warehouse, dangling from a rope flung over an iron beam. You say that worldly sorrow leads to death. How true that is! His note spoke of his guilty heart, the lust he couldn’t quell. Why hadn’t he turned to You, Lord? You would have made things right. It makes no sense. My faith is shaken. Such a man of God ending this way. What happens in a man’s heart that he would fall?
God help me. O Father, it grieves me that my Richard didn’t finish well.
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Note: This is written fictionally because of my distance from this incident and lack of personal knowledge, but the basis of the story is sadly true. It is written in empathy and sympathy for the widow, truly questioning how one who has suffered for Christ as this man did, could subsequently, tragically fall.
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Your story pulled at my heart strings...and my heart goes out to the widow.
God bless~
Then the question becomes, "What must I do to live faithfully to Jesus"?
Are we walking daily with living faithfully on our minds?
A very good story for all of us to think about and apply it to ourselves.