ICC Note: As the historic summit between Trump and Kim takes place, North Korean Christians are praying for the change of heart from their leader. Repentance and acceptance of Jesus from the leadership would be more powerful and transformative than asking for peace, says Eric Foley from Voice of the Martyrs Korea.
06/12/2018 North Korea (Mission Network News) – This week the world anxiously waits to see what the historic Trump and Kim summit produces. But Eric Foley of the Voice of the Martyrs Korea, a sister branch of VOM USA, suggests that Christians should be seeking a unique outcome from the meeting.
A Turbulent Historic Meeting
The on-again, off-again summit has been a challenging gathering to follow. Strong words and actions from both the North Korean and American administrations have at times put the meeting on hold or threatened to cancel it.
Yet many have been awaiting the summit with eager anticipation. Headlines suggest it could usher in the beginnings of peace or nuclear disarmament, but is that what Christians should be praying for?
Repentance Must Come First
Foley says, “From a Christian perspective there are four words we should be praying we hear at the summit. The four words we have been hearing are words like, ‘It’s a new day’. But as Christians, we should be praying that the words we hear are, ‘We need to repent, or we need to change.’”
Foley continues, “Those kinds of phrases like, ‘We need security guarantees’, or ‘Please give us money’, or ‘Let’s end this war’, all of those sound promising. But what we know as Christians is that unless there is a fundamental heart change on the part of the leaders of North Korea than all of the promises we hear at the summit will amount to nothing.”
A History of Persecution
For years North Korean leadership has been at the top of humanitarian as well as Christian rights watch lists. Their people face severe persecution for daring to claim Christ.
Foley explains that true changes in the country can only come through the recognition that, individually and corporately, leadership has done something wrong. They need to repent.
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