You’ve heard by now of the tragic killing of 147 Christian students in Kenya at Garissa University College. Among those murdered for being Christians, or more properly stated, martyred for their Christian faith, were at least two students involved with us. One, named Josephine, was a leader. Her friend and staff member said this about her. “Josephine was not only a dedicated follower of Christ but also a courageous young woman who stood for the cause of Christ to evangelize and disciple the lost within Garissa University.”
As I mourn and pray for these students and their families, I’m reminded that it was on Good Friday that Jesus’ life was brutally taken. Josephine endured the same fate as Jesus. This Friday can only be considered Good because Sunday is coming. There is nothing good about Josephine’s death, another promising young life violently stolen by Islamist extremists. However, there is hope. Jesus was present to embrace Josephine when she left this life to enter a new one, welcoming her home, because he is alive.
Good Friday. Hope. Jesus is risen.
Yes, many Christians have given their mortal lives to follow Jesus. We each need to be aware that something like this could happen at any time, anywhere especially as it gets closer to the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. We need to hold each other up in prayer that our resolve to stand firm in the face of adversity will carry us through victoriously. Our life in this world is just as a ‘drop in the bucket’ compared to our blessed eternity with Jesus because of our belief in his shed blood on the cross for our sins and his rising to glory. Thank you Jesus. And thank you for embracing these latest saints of yours as their lives ended here.
No words 🙁 for her suffering and all of those who were martyred but joy for their home going. May our Lord Jesus enable us to be strong in Him in every circumstance.
I can still remember a Good Friday service years ago. We were focused on the tragedy of that day as the disciples lived it. Then it really hit me! We know the end of the story!
thank you for the message of hope. sunday is coming. Jesus is coming again!
Thanks for this post. It’s an eye-opener for me here in America. I think I have it bad when I have a busy week of studying and tests and my life is so busy. Then I hear stories like this and think how easy I have it here in America. I thank God for Josephine and her friends– I can’t imagine what they went through. But in the end, God is so good. Thank you for that awesome reminder. Our hope is built on NOTHING less that Jesus’s blood and righteousness.
Just as the martyrdom of Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian inspired hundreds to become missionaries, It is my prayer that Josephine and the other 146 other martyrs will inspire thousands of others to rise up to take their place!
How awful. And how true
Dave – thanks for taking the time to honor these students. Praying for the teams they left behind and all the ways God is using this!