In the steps of the Martyrs
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, ... “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56)
This again is the season to remember and draw inspiration from those who were faithful to the end – the Uganda Martyrs who are remembered year after year; there are other annual feasts celebrated in honour of different saints, known and unknown, including apostles, evangelists and martyrs – whose life of faithful devotion and witness remains a great encouragement for today’s believers. William’s old hymn captures well the important theme:
For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. Alleluia, Alleluia!
O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold. Alleluia, Alleluia!
These saints were faithful to the end and now form the Church triumphant where ‘There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain’, while believers on earth are the Church militant whereas Paul the Apostle encourages Timothy, they ought to ‘Fight the good fight of the faith.’ Faithful means manifesting a true spirit to a person to whom one is bound by a promise, a pledge, honor, or love. Walking in their steps demands a continual encouragement of one another until we behold the Lord as Stephen did in the hour of his death. Indeed it was the hour of his entrance into a new glorious life – and this seems to have been the same experience for many martyrs.
Our meditation today is from a very important prayer that the Apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesians – and this should top any other matter on your list; make the need expressed in this prayer the most desired and the opening prayer item at every opportunity – ‘to be strengthened with power … so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith’, and, above all other things, this is my prayer for you beloved of the Lord.
They came from different backgrounds but were bound by their faith in Jesus Christ. God respects faithfulness in following Him, no matter where you are coming from. In our following the Lord, we have many examples of faithful endurance – the martyrs of Uganda occupying a clear place in the list. Like the saints we commemorate, if you remain faithful to the end, God in His faithfulness has accepted you. Let us walk in their steps and support one another to tell generations to come of the exemplary witness and faithfulness to spur more people on to the same path.
God bless you all.