At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11
Joasaphat (1536)
Evangelist to Muslims
Joasaphat was a monk who believed that to die a martyr’s death was a glorious thing. He lived in the Islamic Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. With the permission of his superior in the monastery he decided to go to the local qadi (Muslim judge) and witness for Christ. There, in front of the Muslim authorities, he preached the Christian faith.
This incensed those present, and Joasaphat was seized and beaten severely. He was asked if he would renounce Christianity, which he refused to do. As a result he was condemned to death, and he was beheaded on 26 October 1536.
Lord,
you taught your first disciples
that they were the salt of the earth,
told them not to hide their light
under bushels,
but to show that light,
not only in words,
but in their lives;
touch my tongue
with the salt of courage,
light my eyes
with the lamp of truth,
so that when righteousness
is persecuted,
I might, at whatever cost,
bear witness to the love
that opens the gates
of the kingdom of heaven.
Frank Topping (1909-1997)