When was the last time you thanked the Lord for our religious freedom. It’s easy sometimes to get so caught up in the issues of the day that we forget that in America, we are still allowed to worship God without government intrusion. This is not the case in many places around the world. Vietnam is a good example of the type of repression Christians face.

The May 21st edition of World reported the story of Le Thi Hon Lien. She spent almost a year in prison for being a Christian. She was beaten until her jaw broke and driven into mental illness. Under severe pressure from the U.S. Government, Vietnamese authorities released her, only to arrest Ms. Lien three days later for attending a Bible study.

It has been said that more people are killed for their faith around the world today than at any time in history, including during the Dark Ages. And yet as Americans, we go about our daily lives, often taking for granted our religious freedom. Persecution for us may be a family member who thinks our faith is a little extreme or a coworker who doesn’t want to hear about the gospel message.

Let’s make it a point today to whisper a prayer for brave souls like Le Thi Hon Lien. And let’s use our freedom to advance the cause of Christ around the world.