God's Blessing When We Cannot Worship Together

Lessons from Saudi Arabia
for a men's prayer group meeting in August

In the early 1970s our family was privileged to be the first pastor and family allowed to serve In Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. This was partly because we had been only the second pastor and family allowed to serve in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Our major services in Riyadh were at a US military facility, and twice a month I would fly in a U.S. Corps of Engineers plane to serve those in other corners of the kingdom. During the third year our crowds in the English and Arabic services were so large that it was a concern to the Muslim government; so they forbade us to meet in auditoriums. Immediately I began writing "Catacomb Contemplations" each week so lay leaders could facilitate home gatherings that I could no! lead. The first was entitled 'Triumph in Troubles" and was based on Gen. 50:15-21 when Joseph, another expatriate, was imprisoned in a foreign land, as we now may feel imprisoned in our living quarters. We first looked at "Our Troubles": "You meant evil against me," and compared our confinement with his. Secondly, we looked at "Our God": "but God meant it for good." The injustice of the brothers got him to Egypt. The lie of Potiphar's wife got him in prison where he met the king's servants. Each was a step which brought him to where he could bring help. Thirdly, we looked at ourselves and how troubles can bring us closer to God and each other and develop character. On the cross Jesus could have echoed Joseph's words, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." As we take up our much lighter crosses, let us see the good that God means for us.

— J. Dudley Woodberry