Praying for Hobby Lobby

As I type this article there is an historic case being brought before the Supreme Court.  The Green family, owners of Hobby Lobby and Mardel Christian Book Stores, is fighting the new health care mandate that requires them to pay for procedures that go against their religious convictions.  It is easy to think that this case is about healthcare or women’s reproductive rights.  However, it is much more significant, especially for Christians, than whether a company has to pay for the abortions of their employees.  This case is about religious freedom.  There are exceptions in the healthcare law for churches but not for other religious institutions and especially companies owned by Christians.  So the question is, can the government force someone to participate in a program that they find is contrary to their religious beliefs?  The conclusion of the Supreme Court will have affects that go well beyond the healthcare law. 

I pray that the Supreme Court upholds our right to religious freedom.  It is a basic right found in the constitution.  But what we must realize, religious freedom is not something God has guaranteed us.  Religious freedom is greatly beneficial to the church, but God’s Word tells us that we should expect persecution, not religious freedom.  We know that in the end times persecution of the church will be more common than religious freedom.  The reason I pray the court upholds religious freedom is because I want the door of evangelism in America to stay wide open.  I do not believe the church in America has taken full advantage of the freedom we have been given.  I pray that God gives us more opportunity to benefit from living in a country with religious freedom.  May we never take our freedoms for granted and may we never stop evangelizing as the door of opportunity is wide open.  (Revelation 3:7-13)