Christ is worthy.

I just read about a 23-year-old Christian, converted from Islam, that was killed earlier this month. He was reported to an Islamic militant group by a boy whom he had witnessed to. The statement of what happened to this brother is graphic:

"In an attempt to extract evidence against him and to gain information about other Somali Christians, the militants knocked out all of Yusuf's front teeth and broke several of his fingers. They then shot him twice in the head and discarded his body on an empty residential street."

The mental scene this provokes is heartbreaking. I mourn that we live in a world so marred by evil and sin that news reports like this are not rare.

And yet.

Part of me rejoices because in his brutal death, this young man, Yusuf, (and many who die like him as martyrs) proclaimed that Jesus is worthy. Worthy enough to live for, and worthy even to die for. This is the power of Christ in a believer.

So tonight I thank God for Yusuf's faithful service. I rejoice because he is rejoicing in the presence of God, and numbered among those of whom the world is not worthy.

Pray with me that people would come to Christ because of Yusuf's testimony - especially for the boy who reported him.