Elisabeth’s Story

Last weekend, I read Mark Labberton’s book, The Dangerous Act of Worship. Mark argues that the church is asleep to the problems of injustice in the world, such as sex trafficking, and needs to wake up. Mark tells the story of Elisabeth, a young Christian girl in a Southeast Asian country who was kidnapped, trafficked, and sold to a brothel. Over the bed where she was repeatedly raped and assaulted, she wrote verses from Psalm 27, the whole of which reads:

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me, yet will I be confident.

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you,
“Your face, LORD, do I seek.” Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!
For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the LORD will take me in.

Teach me your way, O LORD,
and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
Give me not up to the will of my adversaries
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living!

Wait for the LORD; be strong,
and let your heart take courage:
wait for the LORD.”

Psalm 27 took on a new depth of meaning when I read it thinking about Elisabeth. I thought: If she can trust in God, I can trust in God.

Mark goes on to describe how Elisabeth and others who had been trafficked into this brothel were rescued through the intervention efforts of members of the International Justice Mission. I praise God for their deliverance.

PRAY: Please pray for Elisabeth, for men, women, and children who have been trafficked, and for those who have been delievered and are now in recovery. Pray for the International Justice Mission, a Christian ministry that pursues justice for those who have been trafficked and sold into sexual slavery.