[b]“The life of man is a continual death, unless it be that Christ lives in him.”
—Ignatius
Ignatius was a disciple of the apostle John and had publicly reproved Emperor Trajan Antioch for worshiping idols. However, Trajan swore to take public revenge on Ignatius in return for his
embarrassing rebuke.
Ignatius was arrested and brought to Rome. As he was led away to the pit of lions, he told another believer, “My dear Jesus, my Savior, is so deeply written in my heart, that I feel confident, that if my heart were to be cut open and chopped into pieces, the name Jesus would be found on every piece.”
When the multitude of people was assembled to witness his death, Ignatius boldly addressed the cheering crowd. “I am the grain of God. I am ground by the teeth of the beast, that I may be found a pure bread of Christ, who is to me the Bread of Life.”
As soon as he had spoken these words, two hungry lions devoured him. He lived up to his surname, Theophorus, “the bearer of God.” To the very end, he bore the name of God and his Savior on his lips. He had often said, “The crucified Christ is my only and entire love.” And to the end he found solace in this simple truth: “As the world hates the Christians, so God loves them.”
[i]Marriage tradition holds that a wife should bear her husband’s name as a symbol of their union. They are no longer two people, but one. As a couple grows old together, they begin to share more than just the same last name. They share the same friends and interests. They begin to finish each other’s sentences. And some begin to even strangely resemble one another . . . such is their long-standing intimacy. In the same way, those who bear the name “Christian” or “little Christ” develop the same intimacy—a oneness with the Savior. Are you wearing well the name of Christ? Like Ignatius, does sharing Jesus’ name inspire you to share in his sufferings, his ministry, and his life?
Excerpted from Extreme Devotion