The Main Thing

Quite often while covering the material related to persecuted believers, I find that I have to remind myself of the "main thing."
I become overwhelmed with the beatings, the Tasers, the murders and the forced marriages (generally called rape). Even as I look in scripture, I see prophets and apostles who were exiled, sawn in two and simply hated for the sake of the truth. Because I see the blood and scars and feel the intense emotions - the rage, the sadness, and the fear - I become focused on persecution as the "main thing".
As much as I have made a commitment to speak out on their behalf and call other Christians to move in and stand with our persecuted family, persecution is not the main thing; it's frankly part of the package. Acknowledging Christ will make us the enemies of many people.
Long after the tortured bodies have been resurrected, the police batons are burned with the world's final destruction and the screams of my brothers' and sisters' pain a horrid but distant memory, what will remain?
God will still be Almighty God. Jesus Christ will still be the Exalted Lamb. Our eternity, bought with the precious blood of our Saviour, will still be ours. The praises as we continually fall before Him for His amazing grace will still echo through the reaches of redeemed creation. Eternity with our God because of Who He is will forever be our reality. Our God is the Main Thing! He deserves full surrender and joyous praise. Let's start now!