We call for His mercy. We desperately plead for His intervention.

Consider again today the sad history of the Korean Christians: (Per Hefley's By Their Blood) We are in the late 40's, when the triumph of the World War soon led into the disaster of the Korean War. But just before that conflict, while the sides were still being chosen, multiplied thousands of Koreans from the north rushed south to escape the Communist threat of horror, a threat they have made good on for 60 years.

Escapee Chulho Awe gave us a book in 1965 (Decision at Dawn) that relates how he gave up wealth and position in North Korea to become a fugitive. That is, he refused to become a part of the Communist Party, and was forced to run. At one point in his journeys he was able to get back to Pyongyang to see how his church was doing. Wasn't doing well. At least the building. Furniture smashed. Pews toppled. Files scattered. And outside the city in a stack of corpses, a choir member helped him pick out his pastor and one of the elders.

Before the lines were clearly drawn and Communism was clearly evicted from the South, chaos reigned in some areas. Communist infiltrators agitated local rebellions and brought about the demise of more saints. Consider Tong-In and Tong-Sin, sons of one Pastor Son.

"Number one son" Tong-In refused Japanese pressure to worship at a Shinto shrine and was thrown out of school. But after the War he went back, and was even elected president of the Campus YMCA. When the Communists instigated their uprising, he was once more in danger. Eventually a pistol was in his face with the order to renounce Christ. Tong-In's reponse was to preach to his enemy and plead for him to accept Christ.

At this moment the second son, Tong-Sin, rushed up and demanded to be shot in his stead. The brothers quarreled awhile over who should be martyred, when finally the Communist shot them both.

Not end of story. The pastor-father was of course sad but proud of his boys. And soon he had a chance to avenge them, for the uprising was quelled and their murderer was on trial. Response: Since nothing can bring my sons back, what good is it to kill this man? Let me have him. Maybe he can finish for Christ what my sons left undone.

Further response: The murderer's parents are overcome with gratitude and offer to feed and clothe the pastor's 16-year-old daughter in return.

Who knows how many "further responses" there have been to this courageous series of events? Perhaps you are responding even now. It is for such responses that we pray. When Christ is truly seen in North Korea, when the cross is truly lifted up, when love's message is told and understood, the present message of fear and hatred and deceit and tragedy will go. Perfect love casts all this out and more.