Raindrops

Recently I was resting on my bed. It had been a rare, rainy day. Suddenly I glanced toward the windows and noticed that the lower half of the window had raindrops on the glass and screen.

The sun was illuminating the drops that were arranged like sentries guarding a city. No one drop was touching another drop.

No drops had run down the glass pane.

The drops sparked like diamonds. 

Absolutely stunning and beautiful.

"Thank You God!" I said in my head.

I had been feeling some sadness.

Then the sun disappeared and the drops looked more like fragments of broken glass.

Ouch! 

I reflected that my heart recently had been feeling like it was full of little sharp glass pieces.

Envy, bitterness, self pity to name a few.

I couldn't stop the rain but I could live in the Light.

I remembered a family I pray for who will be experiencing some rain on their windowpane this Christmas. 

The dad is in prison in a nation which tortures the prisoner.

The wife and two young children are allowed no contact with him.

He will be spending his third Christmas there.

Even though he is in a cold and dirty place where he suffers from internal injuries from beatings for proclaiming that Jesus is God's very own Son, born to die for sinners, this young man lives at the foot of the cross whose rays of light illuminate the raindrops on the windowpane of his heart.

He loves those who have beaten him and separated him from his wife and two children.

His decoration : a paper cross which the authorities threaten to remove from his cell.

And yes he is an American citizen. 

Yes, he would be released immediately if he renounced his belief in the Christ who is the Son of the Most High.

This year as you sing your Christmas carols, reflect on the price Christ paid for your freedom from the prison of sin and willful insurrection against a Holy God.

And if you would like to join me in continuing prayer for this family, write me a note.

Born that man no more may die! 

Lord Jesus, send the light of the glory of the gospel of God as seen in the face of Jesus Christ into the jail cell 

Warm my brother and fill him with the glory of God.

I choose to be with him in his suffering.