Daily Devotion

“On December 6, 1934, the China Inland Mission missionaries John and Betty Stam were seized by Red Army troops at Jingde, Anhui, and made to write to the CIM headquarters in Shanghai. John wrote that all their possessions had been taken, yet their hearts were at peace; he asked God to grant them courage and peace, and wrote that, whether by life or by death, God might be glorified. Two days later the couple were killed at Miaoshou; their baby daughter Helen, left on a bed, was found about 36 hours later and rescued by the evangelist Mr. Lo.”

Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity · bdcconline.net, "Stam, Betty" (including John Stam's letter to the CIM, December 6, 1934)

Scripture

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Reflection

We often treat prayer as a "first aid kit" in times of crisis, forgetting that it is an everyday activity, as natural as breathing. John Stam and the Apostle Paul maintained great peace amidst storms, their secret not lying in favorable circumstances, but in immersing their lives completely in connection with God in their daily lives. True prayer is not about persuading God to do what is right for me, but about surrendering everything and allowing the Lord to reclaim the sovereignty of my anxiety. When my will willingly melts into His perfect plan, even if the road ahead remains uncertain, a peace and certainty beyond human comprehension will quietly guard my heart.