Tonight in my Bible class, we read through the books of Maccabees. It was an amazing, yet disturbing account of the oppression and martyrdom of the Jewish people. Those who failed to obey the laws of the land and chose God’s laws instead were tortured and died horrible deaths. Probably the most famous story out of this book is that of the woman with 7 sons. From the oldest to the youngest, the boys courageously refused to renounce God. The mother encouraged each of her son’s to be strong and reminded them that though they may lose their bodily life, their spirit would live on and they would be together again. Quite an act of bravery on her part as she watched the heinous torture and death of her children before it was her turn to endure the same fate. I thought about the current condition of our world now. People all over the globe are persecuted and/or killed for practicing their faith. I am in awe of those who stand strong in the face of those who would take their lives. And there are those who are killed simply by being in a place of worship. And yet, these accounts give me a stronger resolve and hope that I am able to stand firm against those things that would pull me away from God.

I Found God today in courageous martyrs.