Prayers For Afghanistan

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2)

Even with the restraining force of a U.S. military presence, Afghanistan was listed by Open Doors as a land where “persecution is only very slightly less oppressive than in North Korea.” Christian converts faced dire consequences if their new faith was discovered. As Open Doors notes, they either had to flee the country or they would be killed. “How we survive daily only God knows,” says one secret Afghan believer. “He knows because he has been kind to dwell with us. But we are tired of all the death around us.”

Today, as U.S. troops rapidly exit the country, followers of Christ in Afghanistan have become even more exposed to persecution. Girls and women will also suffer, as will those who helped Western forces for the past 20 years. We need to diligently pray for these vulnerable populations, and ask that God will protect them from the suffering to come.

In Times of Loss

I lost a good friend today - and his passing was almost a year to the day from another good friend leaving this world as well. (August is fast losing its place as one of my favorite months) 

In times of deep loss I have found it comforting to remember that Jesus also experienced the loss of one of his good friends. ""When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept."

Jesus was not immune to the pain and sadness of this life - He experienced loss, betrayal, and death just like everyone else who has taken a breath on this planet. And I love the fact that Jesus didn't sweep away the emotional responses of Martha and Mary but instead He simply grieved with them. Jesus knew where his good friend Lazarus was - and He knew that Lazarus was more alive at that moment than he had ever been here on earth. But Jesus also knew that this was going to be a powerful touchstone for a lot of people, throughout history, to see the power of God, even over death. So despite the pain, the anger, and the sadness, He knew that this was bigger than anyone could imagine - that there were spiritual ramifications that would ripple for thousands of years and yet . . . He didn't try to explain away the grief and sadness that came with Lazarus death, instead, Jesus wept. 

There is nothing that we will ever experience that Jesus Christ has not already felt many times over. He has been wounded for our transgressions, He has taken the entire wrath and punishment of God for our transgressions. But, He is not just our Savior, He is our friend, walking with us and sharing in our experiences, good and bad, that we all encounter. Because He loves us. 

No Hitter In His First Major League Start!

Arizona Diamondbacks rookie left-hander Tyler Gilbert no-hit the San Diego Padres on Saturday night, August 14th, making big-league history on an individual and league-wide basis as part of a 7-0 blowout victory. 

Gilbert, 27, was making his first career start and just his fourth career appearance in the majors. Nevertheless, he became the fourth pitcher to ever toss a no-hitter in start No. 1, joining Theodore Breitenstein (1891), Bumpus Jones (1892), and Bob Holloman (1953), according to research conducted by MLB.com's Sarah Langs.

Additionally, Gilbert's no-hitter was the eighth in the 2021 Major League Baseball regular season, setting a new record. The most no-hitters thrown in a single season in modern times had previously been seven, a mark that was reached most recently in 2015. Eight, then, ties the all-time record, which was set in 1884. (Note that seven-inning no-hitters are not included, as MLB does not consider them to be official no-nos.)

Gilbert's no-no is the third in Diamondbacks franchise history. Randy Johnson first threw a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves in 2004 (Ugh), and Edwin Jackson then threw a no-hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays in 2010. 

What a way to start your Major League Career! 

A Simple Act Of Faith

A friendship that impacted a man's eternal destination. A bond shared between a black man from the United States and a white man from Germany. One man carrying the hopes of his nation and race, the other man undergirding his country's nationalistic pride and ambition. Luz Long, was a German long jumper favored to win his event in the 1936 Olympics. He was white, blonde, and the perfect candidate to portray Adolf Hitler's superior Aryan beliefs. He had already won the German long jump championship six times in 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, and 1939. Hitler, the self proclaimed chancellor of the German Reich, had made no secret of his beliefs that these Olympics would be the global stage where his Aryan people would position themselves as the superior race.

Jesse Owens, a black man from the United States, was experiencing the pressure of competing in this stadium located in the heart of Nazi Germany. He had won the gold medal in the 100 meter race earlier but was struggling to qualify for the long jump contest. This stress could have been amplified by the actions of Hitler who shook hands only with the German victors after the first day of competition and then left the stadium. International Olympic Committee president Henri de Baillet-Latour insisted that Hitler greet every medalist or none at all. Hitler opted for the latter and skipped all further medal presentations. So it was with great expectation that Hitler watched from his perch high above the throng, awaiting the triumph of his favorite German athlete, Luz Long, in the long jump contest.