A couple of years ago I traveled to Qatar, a small nation on the Arabian Peninsula, with my father. As we entered the gated community where we were to stay, a security officer quickly approached us. Oh, no, I thought, we just arrived and already we’re in trouble! However, the man was grinning broadly as he leaned into the driver’s side window. “Welcome my friends!” He looked to the back seat where I sat. “You must be Mike!” That depends, I thought, is he in trouble? But then he leaned in through the window to shake my hand! He warmly welcomed us, and the week we stayed there was one of the most pleasant times I’ve had! James (not his real name) greeted us every morning and every night, always smiling. The man’s joy was contagious.
That week was a flurry of activity as I met fascinating people, led Bible studies, ate brains (stupid dare…), and even got to drive a quad through sand dunes in the desert. Just before we left, James dropped in to say good-bye. That’s when I learned his story…
James was originally from Sudan, Africa. He was Christian, but had suffered for his faith in his Moslem homeland. He was forced from his home, finding work in Qatar, sending his small wages home to his family. (He had been forced to leave his wife and children behind in Sudan.) He was allowed to return home once every two years to see them. James worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, and lived in a small place with three other men, all of them Muslims. He owned nothing. Every day his coworkers mocked him for his faith. At one point, a man offered James more money than he could make in a year if he would renounce Christ. James refused.
The last thing he said to us, with a smile on his face, was, “I’m a Christian, and no one can take that from me.” And he bid us farewell. I felt convicted. What did I know about persecution? My life was so easy. I had more money in my wallet than he earned in a month. As I flew home, my thoughts were on the amazing man I had met whose joy put my own faith to shame.
Isaiah 12:3 says, Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
James understood joy. Even though his life was harsh, he found joy in his salvation. He drank from that “well” every day. The Living Water sustained him. I keep asking myself, “Do I have that kind of joy?” I realize I don’t. Have I lost the wonder of my salvation? It is easy to do so, when my life is going well. It’s another thing to let the joy of knowing Christ sustain me day-by-day. Let’s pray for James; but also, let him be an inspiration to us. The well of salvation offers an abundance of water; yet, many times I am needlessly parched with thirst.
Mike Blackaby is 25 years old and is the college and young adult pastor at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, GA. Mike loves to play music, loves to snowboard, play hockey, and cheers for the Colorado Avalanche. He is terrified of spiders, but loves reading fantasy novels, watching movies, taking road trips, building camp fires, and will do any roller coaster if someone goes with him. You can contact him via Facebook.