Did you catch the news of American Pastor
Saeed Abedini’s wife, Naghmeh, hand-delivering a letter to the Iranian
president's U.N. delegation on Monday (23 Sep) … urging her husband’s freedom? Thursday (26 Sep) marked 1-year that Pastor
Saeed has been jailed at Evin (one of Iran's most notorious prisons) of an
8-year sentence … convicted of threatening the security of Iran because he
chose to peacefully gather with other Christian believers.
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) reports that a member of Iranian President Rouhani's detail
accepted Pastor Saeed's letter from Naghmeh, and said he would deliver it to
President Rouhani. According to his
wife, Naghmeh, Pastor Saeed (an U.S. citizen) has been told repeatedly by
prison officials that “they would free him and allow him to return” to his
family, if he would only deny his Christian faith.
Naghmeh, in a convocation speech at Liberty University, says of her husband,
“He's stood strong in that prison. He's
led many, many—over 30 people—to Christ.”
In the meantime, Saeed's daughter (Rebekka)
recently celebrated her birthday; and Saeed managed to send her a letter. Here are some excerpts from his correspondence:
“Hello to my beautiful flower Rebekka Grace…
Although this is the second year that I am absent from your
birthday, I want you to know that I am with you with all of my heart, mind and
soul. I cannot come to you in flesh, but
my spirit is there with you on your special day…
I want you to know how painful it is for me that there are
great forces that are preventing me, your father, to be near you and Jacob, my
beautiful and fragile flowers.
Although the wounds that they inflict on me are so painful,
but I can still say that I continue to bless them and ask for forgiveness for
them. I would also like to know that you
are doing this as well and that you are not allowing anything but Jesus and His
love to consume your little hearts…
I want to tell you that you two are my little heroes. You have grown so much in giving that now you
have given up the one person that you love and need so much in your little
lives to the little kids that do not have mommies or daddies.
I kiss your small and delicate hands for the sacrifice you
are giving…
Although governments fail, I know that Jesus sees the price
we are paying for Him and He will gather us together as family one day that I
may see you grow up tall to be like your beautiful mommy…”
As Christians worldwide gather at
the Table of holy communion this Sunday, let us remember in prayer the likes of
Pastor Saeed … who are remaining faithful to their conviction of Christ Jesus
in the midst of persecution.
Rev.
Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain
(Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor,
Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
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