Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

It is a dangerous thing to be a Christian. For most of the time, here in the western world, we don’t really feel this. We may recognise it intellectually, but we don’t live under a sense of day to day threat. Any ‘persecution’ we experience tends to be at a low level. We might experience scorn and ridicule, but it is rare for it to go much beyond that. Nevertheless, ‘the times they are a-changin’, and who can say what the future may hold?

All of that said, many of our brothers and sisters around the world, face daily the prospect (or the reality) of imprisonment for their faith – or worse. They know much of violence, loss and constant risk.

Our situation is abnormal. The freedom we enjoy would be almost unimaginable to millions of our fellow Christians.

May we never forget this. May we never forget them.

PRAYER: Lord, help us to keep our suffering brethren in our hearts and prayers. Strengthen us to suffer shame for the cause of Christ, and to persevere in faith whatever may come our way in the days ahead.