Rough hands stripped Rajab to the
waist beneath the hot tropical sun, and his bronzed skin glistened with sweat
but he knew it would be much worse far too soon. Within minutes a hemp rope was
wrapped around his body and fastening him tightly to a pole. A crowd gathered ‘round,
mocking and sneering.
“A
beating is too good for you!” A former friend snarled, and spat on the ground. Some picked up stones to fling at him, and no
one stopped them.
“Joshua,”
Rajab whispered. “Joshua.” He knew many hated their ruler and uprisings were
constantly erupting but Rajab had remained loyal to the king. The more recent
agitation was caused by the coming marriage of Prince Joshua. As one of the king’s employees, Rajab had went
to a lot of effort to invite his neighbours and kinsmen to the wedding feast,
but they wanted nothing, absolutely nothing to do with a foreign ruler, and
were determined to set up their own government.
Tears
sprung to Rajab’s eyes when the whip viciously curled around his back, but he
did not recant. He believed that the king was a righteous and just ruler, and
would not give in to the demands to stop supporting him. Finally the beating
stopped, and he was untied. Rajab dropped limp and weak into the hot, dusty
sand and endured a few nasty kicks but mostly they ignored him and went on their way.
Just as he was drifting off to a pain-filled sleep a gentle hand rested on his
shoulder and he was offered a cup of cold water. It was another loyal subject
of the king.
Jesus is the King of Kings and
wants to rule in your heart. Will you resist and rebel against His authority or
renounce your faith in Him if the going gets tough?
How loyal are you?
Matthew 22...
Matthew 22...
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