Hidar 27 — December 06

Saint James, the Brave Soldier

Long ago in a faraway land called Persia, there lived a kind soldier named James. He was good friends with the king, and the king liked him very much. But the king did not love God. He prayed to the sun and to fire instead. Slowly, James began to copy the king, and he forgot to pray to Jesus.

James' mother, his wife, and his sister loved God very much. They wrote James a letter to help him remember. They asked him gently, "Why have you left our Lord Jesus Christ to bow down to the sun and the moon and the fire?" When James read their loving letter, he cried. He knew they were right.

James opened his Bible and read about Jesus again. His heart filled up with love for God, and he chose to follow Jesus once more. When the king asked why James had changed, James was not afraid to tell the truth. He said he loved Jesus, the one true God who made the sun, the moon, the stars, and the whole wide sea.

The king was angry, and wicked men hurt James because he would not stop loving Jesus. James was brave the whole time, and he kept singing and praising God. He prayed for all the people in the world, asking God to be kind to them. Then Jesus himself appeared and comforted James and made him strong. In the end James gave his life rather than give up his Lord, and the angels carried him home to heaven, to Jesus who loved him.

Why have you left our Lord Jesus Christ to bow down to the sun and the moon and the fire?— the letter from James' family

Saint Timothy and His Wife Mora

We also remember a good man named Timothy who lived in a town called Banhor. He loved God from the time he was a little boy, and he liked to pray and wait quietly with Him. His wife was named Mora, and she loved God too. They were very happy together.

In their land there was a ruler who did not love God and told everyone to stop praying in church. This made Timothy sad, but it also made him brave. One night while he slept, Jesus came to him in a dream and said kind words to him. Jesus told him to go with his wife to a city called Behensa and to tell everyone about God's love. When Timothy woke up, he found that Mora had dreamed the very same dream! So together they went, hand in hand, to share the good news.

The ruler tried to make Timothy and Mora stop loving God, but they would not. Wicked men hurt them because they were brave for Jesus. Mora went home to God first. Then they put Timothy near a great fire, but God sent his angel Gabriel down from heaven to keep Timothy safe! Later, while Timothy prayed in prison, Jesus came to him again and gave him peace. At last Timothy went home to heaven too, and the people built a beautiful church to remember him and his brave wife Mora.

Peace be unto you, O my beloved Timothy, behold I have counted you among the number of the good and righteous.— Jesus, in Timothy's dream

Saint Philemon the Apostle

Saint Philemon is remembered today as well. He was one of the seventy-two apostles, the helpers Jesus chose to go out and teach about God. Philemon had a kind way of speaking, gentle and easy to listen to. He told the people of a place called Lydia all about Jesus, and his warm words helped many of them come to love God.

More Friends of God We Remember Today

We say thank you to God for a few more of his faithful friends: 'Al'are, a holy man named Abba Takla Hawaryat, and Clement. They all loved God with their whole hearts.

We give thanks for every one of these brave and gentle saints. They remind us that loving God is the best and happiest thing we can ever do.