True to the Faith of Jesus Christ! Faithful Meriam's Test
Twenty-seven-year-old Meriam Yehya Ibrahim refused to recant her Christian faith; so, a Khartoum court in Sudan convicted her of apostasy against Islam!
What's more, she was a mother of an 18-month-old, who was in prison with her; She's married to a Christian man, which is considered illegitimate; and she was pregnant to deliver her second child!
The court ordered Meriam beaten with 100 lashes and hanged until death after she delivers her child. The judge gave her three days to renounce her faith in Jesus Christ and she refused.
All of this started because one of her family members of the Islamic faith reported that Meriam was not abiding by the custom, Sudan’s Islamic Shari’a law, of a woman taking the faith of her father, Islam.
Reportedly, her father abandoned her family at a young age. Meriam's mother, a Christian woman, raised her as a Christian. She married a Christian man in 2012, Dr. Daniel Wani. Her faith is that of a Christian and she holds fast to that faith.
Meriam, raped of her faith, did not give up, though the court did not relent either. Just as violent and power-influenced is physical rape, religious rape is the product to usurp the power over faith and establish dominance; in this case, over a Christian woman.
Can We Relate
Meriam was in a position where all she had to do is deny her faith and submit to the charges levied against her so she could go free. In the United States and many other free nations, this type of situation would not occur and their people would never know the fear of having to choose between religion and death--sanctioned by the government!
Meriam had the fate to give up her dear husband of at least three years and leave her children in death just for refusing to say that she will deny the Christ. She refuses to submit to the molestations of her family who bullied her prior to delivering her over to the court for judgment unjustly.
She willingly took the lash as did her Savior. She received the sentence of death as was He. Is there hope in the resurrection for her? Is there life after death?
Meriam seems to thinks so. She believes in her faith, and testifies to the world, and her family, that she is a Christian and is willing to seal her testimony with her life.
The Question for all people of faith is not whether or not it is fair for Meriam to endure such a trial, but if in the same situation, how would they endure?
Stephen being stoned for his faith
In his last testimony to the world in the ancient record, The Book of Mormon, a prophet by the name of Moroni echos through the corridors of time the familiar cry:
[B]ecause of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ. And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ.... Moroni 1:2-3
Meriam stands as a modern witness of her faith as did many of the ancient characters of the books of which many read and herald as heroes and heroines.
The above quote rewritten:
Because of their hatred, they put to death every woman that will not deny the Christ. And I, Meriam, will not deny the Christ!
What makes her sacrifice so poignant is that it occurred in modern times. In this age of Godlessness in much of the world, her bastion of courage was about to have the glow of its fiery faith extinguished because of the tradition of her fathers.
What if she were a family member of yours in prison awaiting death because she refused to deny the Christ? Would you tell her to renounce her faith and live so that she could flee the country and practice her faith in America since her husband is a US citizen?
Would you tell her to keep the faith and never deny Christ?
Would you have reported her in the first place?
What if it was you? Would you stand by your faith knowing that you would lose your life if you did not renounce it?
Time for Reflection
Meriam's situation helps to bring focus to the meaning of freedom of worship. It is a time to take reflective action and ponder your systems of belief and its priority in your life.
Jesus Christ in speaking to a young man as depicted in the scriptures who claims to have from the time of his youth kept all the commandment of God, instructs this youth in a pointed way.
This young and wealthy man went to Jesus and asked what he lacked, or what could he do more than he had done at that time to gain eternal life. Jesus told him to give all that he had to the poor and follow Him.
The man went away sorrowing because he had many riches and could not bring himself at that time to separate from it. His name was not revealed, so it is possible that he could have resolved his personal conflict and bade Jesus' invitation.
What we have of him in the King James record is that he went away sorrowing.
Would you be willing to give all that you have to follow your faith? It is a really valid question to ask yourself to see if you really believed the things that you claim to believe.
Are your beliefs worth losing you life over? Contrarily, do you live your life according to what you believe?
Rescued by Faith
Just like the Lord rescued Daniel from the lion's den and Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego from the fires, Mariam Ibraheem came out of the prison and traveled to the United States and freedom of religion.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2014 Rodric Anthony Johnson
