Father, we recognize that our life is a gift from You and the life we live is our gift back to You. You give us guidance in how to live our lives through the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome the evil one and courage to stand for righteousness in the very face of evil. Even as we are witnessing evil acts of terror all over the world we are also hearing the names and seeing the faces of those whose faith in Christ has made them the target of these evildoers. We admire and respect their bravery and refusal to renounce their faith so their lives can be spared. Instead they look beyond their horrible ordeal, the loved ones they will leave behind, and they must surely fix their hearts on their eternal resting place. In this age when many church leaders are presenting watered down sermons and teachings, softening the commands of Scripture to make them palatable to those whose loyalties are torn between living for Christ and living for the world, bring to our minds people like Mathew Ayairga. A man, drawn by the Holy Spirit, who came to Christ because he esteemed the uncompromising faith of the Coptic Christians of Libya who were willing to lay down their lives for the cause. Because he too laid down his life Mathew’s Christian life was short on this side, but throughout the eons of time, we who believe and practice what we believe will have fellowship with our brother, Mathew. Help us to be strong and ever hopeful as we fix our gaze on that which lies beyond the grave, as we seek to glorify You whether in life or in death. Through Christ we pray. Amen.