Twenty-three years ago today, Terry Waite, an envoy for the Church of England was released after being held hostage in Lebanon for almost five years by Shiite Muslims. For the first four years in captivity, he was kept alone, usually blindfolded and chained to a radiator, subjected to mock executions and beatings. When moved from place to place, he was wrapped in masking tape, blindfolded and put into the trunk of a car. His family did not know if he was dead or alive until a few months before he was released. This man of faith entered Lebanon on a Christian mission, serving his church as negotiator to release hostages. And, although he had been successful many times in the past, this time the captors decided that he was an agent of the CIA, violated the agreement that they had with his church and took him prisoner.

That same year, Terry Anderson, an American journalist held hostage by Islamic terrorists for 2,454 days, was released.

I will never forget an interview with Mr. Anderson that was conducted several years after his release. He still possessed the blindfold that he was forced to wear on the day he was released. During the interview, the reporter held the blindfold and talked about the torture Mr. Anderson suffered; it was horrific and sad. And, then the interviewer handed the blindfold to Mr. Anderson and asked him to hold it to his face as if he were again blindfolded. When the request was made, I winced. Surely, she had not just ask him to wear that horrible piece of cloth. He looked shocked and then he quietly said that he would not do what she had asked.

In 2009, Mr. Anderson returned to Beirut to teach. In 2012, Mr. Waite returned to Beirut on a mission of forgiveness. How can that be??

Let me share a story from the life of Paul. He and Silas were preaching. Someone didn’t like what they did and the local officials decided to quash the angry crowd. The two preachers were stripped and beaten. The feet were put into stocks and they were thrown into prison. But, rather than curse those who treated them badly the two men prayed and sang hymns to God. When their escape would have been easy, they stayed put, and encouraged the jailer and his family to seek God. You can read the whole story at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+16%3A20-40&version=NIV

Twenty-three years ago today, Terry Waite, an envoy for the Church of England was released after being held hostage in Lebanon for almost five years by Shiite Muslims. For the first four years in captivity, he was kept alone, usually blindfolded and chained to a radiator, subjected to mock executions and beatings. When moved from place to place, he was wrapped in masking tape, blindfolded and put into the trunk of a car. His family did not know if he was dead or alive until a few months before he was released. This man of faith entered Lebanon on a Christian mission, serving his church as negotiator to release hostages. And, although he had been successful many times in the past, this time the captors decided that he was an agent of the CIA, violated the agreement that they had with his church and took him prisoner.

That same year, Terry Anderson, an American journalist held hostage by Islamic terrorists for 2,454 days, was released.

I will never forget an interview with Mr. Anderson that was conducted several years after his release. He still possessed the blindfold that he was forced to wear on the day he was released. During the interview, the reporter held the blindfold and talked about the torture Mr. Anderson suffered; it was horrific and sad. And, then the interviewer handed the blindfold to Mr. Anderson and asked him to hold it to his face as if he were again blindfolded. When the request was made, I winced. Surely, she had not just ask him to wear that horrible piece of cloth. He looked shocked and then he quietly said that he would not do what she had asked.

In 2009, Mr. Anderson returned to Beirut to teach. In 2012, Mr. Waite returned to Beirut on a mission of forgiveness. How can that be??

Let me share a story from the life of Paul. He and Silas were preaching. Someone didn’t like what they did and the local officials decided to quash the angry crowd. The two preachers were stripped and beaten. The feet were put into stocks and they were thrown into prison. But, rather than curse those who treated them badly the two men prayed and sang hymns to God. When their escape would have been easy, they stayed put, and encouraged the jailer and his family to seek God. You can read the whole story at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+16%3A20-40&version=NIV

There is no guarantee that we will be given justice in this life. Mr. Waite was on a religious mission, Mr. Anderson was a reporter, Paul and Silas were preaching the gospel when they were taken prisoner. But, none spent the rest of their lives seeking revenge. After they were released, they lived as free men. They no longer wore the garb, the shame of the prisoner. And, they sought peace with those who had intentionally done them harm.

Has someone in your circle been held captive by a relationship, a habit, a past life? They may be struggling in ways that we will never understand or perhaps even know. But, we can hold them close; we can present to them the gift of unconditional love. Don’t ask them to wear old prison garb, to retell stories of their past; instead, encourage them with God’s hope. You may not have been able to save them from their yesterdays; but, you can be there for them today and for tomorrow.

But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. (Psalm 9:18)

Twenty-three years ago today, Terry Waite, an envoy for the Church of England was released after being held hostage in Lebanon for almost five years by Shiite Muslims. For the first four years in captivity, he was kept alone, usually blindfolded and chained to a radiator, subjected to mock executions and beatings. When moved from place to place, he was wrapped in masking tape, blindfolded and put into the trunk of a car. His family did not know if he was dead or alive until a few months before he was released. This man of faith entered Lebanon on a Christian mission, serving his church as negotiator to release hostages. And, although he had been successful many times in the past, this time the captors decided that he was an agent of the CIA, violated the agreement that they had with his church and took him prisoner.

That same year, Terry Anderson, an American journalist held hostage by Islamic terrorists for 2,454 days, was released.

I will never forget an interview with Mr. Anderson that was conducted several years after his release. He still possessed the blindfold that he was forced to wear on the day he was released. During the interview, the reporter held the blindfold and talked about the torture Mr. Anderson suffered; it was horrific and sad. And, then the interviewer handed the blindfold to Mr. Anderson and asked him to hold it to his face as if he were again blindfolded. When the request was made, I winced. Surely, she had not just ask him to wear that horrible piece of cloth. He looked shocked and then he quietly said that he would not do what she had asked.

In 2009, Mr. Anderson returned to Beirut to teach. In 2012, Mr. Waite returned to Beirut on a mission of forgiveness. How can that be??

Let me share a story from the life of Paul. He and Silas were preaching. Someone didn’t like what they did and the local officials decided to quash the angry crowd. The two preachers were stripped and beaten. The feet were put into stocks and they were thrown into prison. But, rather than curse those who treated them badly the two men prayed and sang hymns to God. When their escape would have been easy, they stayed put, and encouraged the jailer and his family to seek God. You can read the whole story at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+16%3A20-40&version=NIV

There is no guarantee that we will be given justice in this life. Mr. Waite was on a religious mission, Mr. Anderson was a reporter, Paul and Silas were preaching the gospel when they were taken prisoner. But, none spent the rest of their lives seeking revenge. After they were released, they lived as free men. They no longer wore the garb, the shame of the prisoner. And, they sought peace with those who had intentionally done them harm.

Has someone in your circle been held captive by a relationship, a habit, a past life? They may be struggling in ways that we will never understand or perhaps even know. But, we can hold them close; we can present to them the gift of unconditional love. Don’t ask them to wear old prison garb, to retell stories of their past; instead, encourage them with God’s hope. You may not have been able to save them from their yesterdays; but, you can be there for them today and for tomorrow.

But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. (Psalm 9:18)

Twenty-three years ago today, Terry Waite, an envoy for the Church of England was released after being held hostage in Lebanon for almost five years by Shiite Muslims. For the first four years in captivity, he was kept alone, usually blindfolded and chained to a radiator, subjected to mock executions and beatings. When moved from place to place, he was wrapped in masking tape, blindfolded and put into the trunk of a car. His family did not know if he was dead or alive until a few months before he was released. This man of faith entered Lebanon on a Christian mission, serving his church as negotiator to release hostages. And, although he had been successful many times in the past, this time the captors decided that he was an agent of the CIA, violated the agreement that they had with his church and took him prisoner.

That same year, Terry Anderson, an American journalist held hostage by Islamic terrorists for 2,454 days, was released.

I will never forget an interview with Mr. Anderson that was conducted several years after his release. He still possessed the blindfold that he was forced to wear on the day he was released. During the interview, the reporter held the blindfold and talked about the torture Mr. Anderson suffered; it was horrific and sad. And, then the interviewer handed the blindfold to Mr. Anderson and asked him to hold it to his face as if he were again blindfolded. When the request was made, I winced. Surely, she had not just ask him to wear that horrible piece of cloth. He looked shocked and then he quietly said that he would not do what she had asked.

In 2009, Mr. Anderson returned to Beirut to teach. In 2012, Mr. Waite returned to Beirut on a mission of forgiveness. How can that be??

Let me share a story from the life of Paul. He and Silas were preaching. Someone didn’t like what they did and the local officials decided to quash the angry crowd. The two preachers were stripped and beaten. The feet were put into stocks and they were thrown into prison. But, rather than curse those who treated them badly the two men prayed and sang hymns to God. When their escape would have been easy, they stayed put, and encouraged the jailer and his family to seek God. You can read the whole story at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+16%3A20-40&version=NIV

There is no guarantee that we will be given justice in this life. Mr. Waite was on a religious mission, Mr. Anderson was a reporter, Paul and Silas were preaching the gospel when they were taken prisoner. But, none spent the rest of their lives seeking revenge. After they were released, they lived as free men. They no longer wore the garb, the shame of the prisoner. And, they sought peace with those who had intentionally done them harm.

Has someone in your circle been held captive by a relationship, a habit, a past life? They may be struggling in ways that we will never understand or perhaps even know. But, we can hold them close; we can present to them the gift of unconditional love. Don’t ask them to wear old prison garb, to retell stories of their past; instead, encourage them with God’s hope. You may not have been able to save them from their yesterdays; but, you can be there for them today and for tomorrow.

But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. (Psalm 9:18)

Twenty-three years ago today, Terry Waite, an envoy for the Church of England was released after being held hostage in Lebanon for almost five years by Shiite Muslims. For the first four years in captivity, he was kept alone, usually blindfolded and chained to a radiator, subjected to mock executions and beatings. When moved from place to place, he was wrapped in masking tape, blindfolded and put into the trunk of a car. His family did not know if he was dead or alive until a few months before he was released. This man of faith entered Lebanon on a Christian mission, serving his church as negotiator to release hostages. And, although he had been successful many times in the past, this time the captors decided that he was an agent of the CIA, violated the agreement that they had with his church and took him prisoner.

That same year, Terry Anderson, an American journalist held hostage by Islamic terrorists for 2,454 days, was released.

I will never forget an interview with Mr. Anderson that was conducted several years after his release. He still possessed the blindfold that he was forced to wear on the day he was released. During the interview, the reporter held the blindfold and talked about the torture Mr. Anderson suffered; it was horrific and sad. And, then the interviewer handed the blindfold to Mr. Anderson and asked him to hold it to his face as if he were again blindfolded. When the request was made, I winced. Surely, she had not just ask him to wear that horrible piece of cloth. He looked shocked and then he quietly said that he would not do what she had asked.

In 2009, Mr. Anderson returned to Beirut to teach. In 2012, Mr. Waite returned to Beirut on a mission of forgiveness. How can that be??

Let me share a story from the life of Paul. He and Silas were preaching. Someone didn’t like what they did and the local officials decided to quash the angry crowd. The two preachers were stripped and beaten. The feet were put into stocks and they were thrown into prison. But, rather than curse those who treated them badly the two men prayed and sang hymns to God. When their escape would have been easy, they stayed put, and encouraged the jailer and his family to seek God. You can read the whole story at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+16%3A20-40&version=NIV

There is no guarantee that we will be given justice in this life. Mr. Waite was on a religious mission, Mr. Anderson was a reporter, Paul and Silas were preaching the gospel when they were taken prisoner. But, none spent the rest of their lives seeking revenge. After they were released, they lived as free men. They no longer wore the garb, the shame of the prisoner. And, they sought peace with those who had intentionally done them harm.

Has someone in your circle been held captive by a relationship, a habit, a past life? They may be struggling in ways that we will never understand or perhaps even know. But, we can hold them close; we can present to them the gift of unconditional love. Don’t ask them to wear old prison garb, to retell stories of their past; instead, encourage them with God’s hope. You may not have been able to save them from their yesterdays; but, you can be there for them today and for tomorrow.

But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. (Psalm 9:18)

Twenty-three years ago today, Terry Waite, an envoy for the Church of England was released after being held hostage in Lebanon for almost five years by Shiite Muslims. For the first four years in captivity, he was kept alone, usually blindfolded and chained to a radiator, subjected to mock executions and beatings. When moved from place to place, he was wrapped in masking tape, blindfolded and put into the trunk of a car. His family did not know if he was dead or alive until a few months before he was released. This man of faith entered Lebanon on a Christian mission, serving his church as negotiator to release hostages. And, although he had been successful many times in the past, this time the captors decided that he was an agent of the CIA, violated the agreement that they had with his church and took him prisoner.

That same year, Terry Anderson, an American journalist held hostage by Islamic terrorists for 2,454 days, was released.

I will never forget an interview with Mr. Anderson that was conducted several years after his release. He still possessed the blindfold that he was forced to wear on the day he was released. During the interview, the reporter held the blindfold and talked about the torture Mr. Anderson suffered; it was horrific and sad. And, then the interviewer handed the blindfold to Mr. Anderson and asked him to hold it to his face as if he were again blindfolded. When the request was made, I winced. Surely, she had not just ask him to wear that horrible piece of cloth. He looked shocked and then he quietly said that he would not do what she had asked.

In 2009, Mr. Anderson returned to Beirut to teach. In 2012, Mr. Waite returned to Beirut on a mission of forgiveness. How can that be??

Let me share a story from the life of Paul. He and Silas were preaching. Someone didn’t like what they did and the local officials decided to quash the angry crowd. The two preachers were stripped and beaten. The feet were put into stocks and they were thrown into prison. But, rather than curse those who treated them badly the two men prayed and sang hymns to God. When their escape would have been easy, they stayed put, and encouraged the jailer and his family to seek God. You can read the whole story at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+16%3A20-40&version=NIV

There is no guarantee that we will be given justice in this life. Mr. Waite was on a religious mission, Mr. Anderson was a reporter, Paul and Silas were preaching the gospel when they were taken prisoner. But, none spent the rest of their lives seeking revenge. After they were released, they lived as free men. They no longer wore the garb, the shame of the prisoner. And, they sought peace with those who had intentionally done them harm.

Has someone in your circle been held captive by a relationship, a habit, a past life? They may be struggling in ways that we will never understand or perhaps even know. But, we can hold them close; we can present to them the gift of unconditional love. Don’t ask them to wear old prison garb, to retell stories of their past; instead, encourage them with God’s hope. You may not have been able to save them from their yesterdays; but, you can be there for them today and for tomorrow.

But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. (Psalm 9:18)

 

There is no guarantee that we will be given justice in this life. Mr. Waite was on a religious mission, Mr. Anderson was a reporter, Paul and Silas were preaching the gospel when they were taken prisoner. But, none spent the rest of their lives seeking revenge. After they were released, they lived as free men. They no longer wore the garb, the shame of the prisoner. And, they sought peace with those who had intentionally done them harm.

Has someone in your circle been held captive by a relationship, a habit, a past life? They may be struggling in ways that we will never understand or perhaps even know. But, we can hold them close; we can present to them the gift of unconditional love. Don’t ask them to wear old prison garb, to retell stories of their past; instead, encourage them with God’s hope. You may not have been able to save them from their yesterdays; but, you can be there for them today and for tomorrow.

But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. (Psalm 9:18)