Their response: "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."[v.16-18]
Ever since learning about the plight of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, I haven't been able to shake the image of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace. Charged with apostasy for his faith in Jesus, Iran is calling for the execution of this innocent man for rejecting Islam.
As the rent a mob is disrupting the normal flow of life in NYC, a young family man faces death, and makes their crazy demands seem beyond petty in contrast to what really matters.
And as former liberal, David Horowitz, notes, "When it comes to publicly protesting the sentences of death row inmates, celebrity outrage for a convicted cop-killer is off the charts, but a Christian pastor in Iran about to die for his beliefs doesn’t even rate a “tweet.” (more . . )
Fortunately, social media is raising awareness and over 50,000 are now advocating for the end of Iran's human rights abuse of this courageous Christian and bold American leaders like Marco Rubio are challenging the international bullies in this excellent speech to congress.
The American Center for Law and Justice is leading a bipartisan effort to save Pastor Youcef, "They are sending a letter to Secretary of State Clinton calling on her to “use all the powers at your disposal” for “swift engagement with the international community to advocate for his release.”
If you have not yet called your representative to insist that he or she stand for religious liberty against this outrageous human rights violation, please do! He may be facing execution today ~ don't leave home without at least praying for this father of two young sons. And, ask yourself if you were faced with this kind of demand for you to renounce your savior or face execution,
how strong would any of us be?
Youcef is a tremendous example to the world of what true faith is all about ~ may his example spark true revival in Iran and around the world.
