I have a lot of respect for Muslims. I respect how devoted they are to integrating spirituality into all areas of life. I respect how unashamed they are at being “counter-cultural” in the way they practice their faith in public. I respect the amount of time that is dedicated to fasting, prayer, study, and acts of kindness. I could learn a lot from their devotion and faithfulness.
Starting on June 18th this year, begins their month-long celebration of Ramadan. They will fast from food and water from dawn to dusk. They will increase their level of charity and some will read through the entire Quran during the month. The Islamic belief is that all their good works will be “doubled” during this month to achieve greater rewards on the Day of Judgement. Many Muslims will be very busy working hard to please their god and will attempt to make the world a better place.
“Well, thanks for the news flash, Heather, but what in the world does this have to do with us? I think I would rather have a cute baby story instead.” Thank you, kind reader. I like my baby stories too. 😉
I suppose this has been on my mind ever since reading my monthly VOM (Voice of the Martyr) magazine that had come in the mail the other day. Within the pages was a story of Muslim extremists going door to door at Garissa University in Kenya. At each door they asked the student if they were Muslim or Christian. If they proved themselves to be Muslim, they lived. If they said Christian, they died. 148 students were welcomed into eternity that day.
In another article, a formerly religiously free Niger community was attacked by Muslim radicals. After being chased throughout town–some killed, many injured, many with homes or churches destroyed–they entered the remnants of their blackened churches stunned, hurting, but singing praises to God that He counted them worthy to suffer for His name. One pastor said, “A lesson I see for us is that God encourages us to continue to love the Muslims despite what happened. It’s not easy, but God is encouraging us to forgive…”
In yet another story, a 12-year-old Ugandan girl describes being beaten and disowned by her Islamic father after accepting Jesus as her Savior. “Since I was taught that persecution is part of the new believer’s life,” she said, “and that I should endure and pray for those who persecute me, indeed it is what I am doing to forgive them.” She now lives in a home with other children, some much younger, that were disowned after identifying with Christ.
Again and again and again there were stories of suffering and of hope and forgiveness. There was one other thing too…a challenge. A challenge to pray faithfully for the salvation of Muslims during the month of Ramadan.
It is often said that following Jesus is different from religion. Religion is a set of activities that are done to better oneself and to gain the approval of God (or I suppose become a god or find your personal path to heaven depending on the belief). Christianity though, when seen correctly, is not about becoming moral, but about having a relationship with Christ that will inspire us to honor Him in the way we live and treat others. I am far from an expert on other religions, but I do identify unashamed with the culturally viewed “narrow or naive” teachings of Scripture. I do believe that there is only one way to God, and by His grace (not my being smarter or better) I have found that in relationship with Jesus Christ.
I would be foolish to say though, that just because a person identifies themselves as Muslim, that they condone violent acts. I simply bring up those stories because I feel that if my brothers and sisters overseas forgive and pray for those who have killed their families, I who live in freedom and relative ease have no right to neglect praying as well. Will you join me?
Pray that God will give you a deeper love and compassion for those of the Islamic faith. Pray that they will have a full revelation of the true God and His loving character. Pray that they will understand that God desires to know them as children and not as slaves. Pray that God will open their eyes and show His grace by coming to them in dreams and visions (vast numbers of Muslims have come to faith in Christ through Him revealing Himself to them through supernatural encounters).
Please pray. Those of us who follow Jesus have freedom and confidence to approach God. We have freedom from fear of death. We have hope in the midst of struggle and trials. Muslims do not have this hope. They have no hope of assurance of salvation…they must simply keep doing good and hoping that their good outweighs the bad. They have no hope of a personal walk with God…Allah is creative and eternal, but also unknowable and separate from people. Will you pray that they can find hope?
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthains 1:18 (NIV)
Confessions of a Restless Mom 