Those hands in the picture

This post might be uncomfortable. It talks about death. It highlights injustice. It stares grief in the face and agonizes with people whose names or faces we'll never know. The Heavenly Father, however, certainly knows each one. While we find it difficult to keep up with all of the heartache in the world, the Father sits with each one and cries countless tears that are reserved for that person's grief.

Please take a moment to look at each of these images. Notice the hands that are off to the side.

---

Shama and Shahzad

Shahzad Masih (26) and his pregnant wife, Shama (24), were disposing of garbage in the village of Kot Radhakishan, Pakistan in November 2014 when Shama allegedly burned pages from the Quran. As a result, they were thrown into a brick kiln and burned to death. As of the most recent report, many of the suspects have gone free, and twenty were acquitted. (For more information, visit this page.)

I can't help but wonder whose hands are on Shahzad's left arm. His mother? His sister? It's been almost four years. Parents who have lost their children tell me that the grief never goes away; it becomes your constant companion and makes up your new normal. Has it become normal for her? Does she still have nightmares about brick kilns? The image we see appears to be taken from another, larger picture. Does she still hold that picture and sob? Does she have any level of peace?

---

Rev. Felix Tyolah
Photo: Diocese of Makurdi

On April 24th, 2018 a mob of gunmen attacked a church in the village of Ayar-Mbalom, Nigera during an early morning service. Two church leaders and 17 congregants were shot dead. The Rev. Felix Tyolaha was among those who were killed. (Read more here.)

The hand on his shoulder is the hand of someone who loved and trusted him. What stories would he tell if we could talk to him? Would they tell of Rev. Tyolaha's encouragement to remain faithful to God despite the opposition Christians face in their region? Had they laughed together? Sung together? Wept together over others who had lost their lives in other attacks? Is he battling bitterness? Who would blame him? Does he fill his days with frenetic activity to keep the scenes from that day to at least a softened horror in the back of his mind? What does the future hold for "the hand in the picture?" Does he fear for his life?

---

Photo: Morning Star News

As of the writing of this post, The Voice of the Martyrs Canada has just today told of another Christian who died at the hands of police officers. He, along with his family, were approached on the pretence of drug related charges. Wasaq panicked in the mayhem and fled. By the time the family reached him, he had already been beaten to death. You can read the details here.

Part of me wants someone in the "free world" to reach out and grasp those hands in the picture. If only we could hold them tightly, look into the tear-filled faces that we can't see and tell them with all of our hearts, "Brothers! We are praying for you! God sees your tears and we weep our own for you."

---

Am I sometimes overwhelmed by the grief that we see while supporting our brothers and sisters who are suffering for their faith? Yes, I am. Are they overwhelmed by their own grief? Absolutely! I lift my own hands before the Father, bringing to Him the hearts of those hands in the pictures. Oh, God, carry them!

I invite you to join hands with us in supporting our worldwide family. You can receive weekly prayer updates here and sign up for our free monthly publication here. All of the stories are excerpted from the weekly Persecution and Prayer Alert.