Go Beyond

Reflections on Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Last Wednesday, my companions and I ventured to Cox’s Bazar, the longest sea beach in the world. Cox’s Bazar is located about one-hundred miles south of Chittagong on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal. This narrow stretch of Bangladesh was named after Captain James Cox of the East India Company who was in charge of a naval base here in the late 18th century. I previously had visited this area en route to Teknaf, a city on the southern tip of Bangladesh at the mouth of the Naf River. Teknaf is the launching point for reaching St. Martin’s island.

Praying at Cox's Bazar

One of our most meaningful experiences was walking slowly along the beach and stopping occasionally to look toward the western horizon. Under that canopy are unengaged islands that ring the coast of Bangladesh. We took some time to read the Scripture and to pray onsite with insight. As we looked toward the west, we read God’s promise to give Joshua the land “toward the going down of the sun” (Joshua 1:3) and interceded on behalf of the islanders. And, as we watched the waves lap onto the shore we prayed that our initiatives to reach the people of these islands would hasten the day when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9).

While in Cox’s Bazar we also met with our national partners to discuss our next steps in engaging the people of the islands. We are privileged to work with nationals I have known for a dozen years and who have a passion for sharing the gospel with their own people. These men are committed to reaching their homeland from shore to shore and border to border. God is doing some great things in Bangladesh because of Bengali men and women who are willing to endure persecution and even death for the sake of the gospel. Among the martyrs in heaven will be many Bengali believers who paid the ultimate price for being followers of Christ in a place that is hostile to the gospel. These are not individuals who took the lives of others in an attempt to spread their faith. That would be contrary to the teaching and example of Jesus. Instead, these are individuals who were tortured and killed because they were followers of Christ. I visited the grave of one of these martyrs in August of last year.

Standing on the beach at Cox’s Bazar reminded me once again that the kingdom of God always advances at our inconvenience. And, standing on the beach also reminded me that we must be willing to lose sight of the shore in order to take the light of the gospel to those who live toward the setting sun. This is the ongoing story of the book of Acts — going beyond comfort and convenience to tell the story of God’s love to those who have never heard it. I am thankful for those who brought the gospel to where I live — for the generations of individuals who carried the message toward the setting sun. We must do no less for those who live beyond our shores. May we always be willing to press on toward the setting sun.