A Challenge and a Prayer on Valentine's Day

Recently, one of our friends (‘James’) related this story to me. During a conversation with an Imam, he could hardly believe his ears. The Imam said to the him: “I challenge you to read the New Testament, find out who Jesus is, and what exactly he says about himself!”  This was an imam (a Muslim teacher), telling a mature Christian believer what to do!

“With pleasure!” thought my friend. It isn’t often that an expatriate living in a closed, Muslim society is asked to spend his time in ministry doing what he loves most of all—studying the words of Jesus.  “I marked all the passages in the NT which clearly speak of Jesus as someone greater than a prophet. Then again, in the Gospels I underlined where Jesus speaks about himself.” My friend wondered, “how could this man read and study the New Testament, and not see that He is more than a prophet?”

My friend’s pleasure quickly morphed into frustration when the Biblical passages he was reading seemed to fall on deaf ears. The Imam was not convinced. Then my friend read passages like the following:

When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am.” (Matthew 16:13-18a, The Message, emphasis mine)

Of course James sees what his Muslim antagonist cannot see. Until the veil is lifted from his heart (2 Cor. 3:15), this Imam will not be able to see the truth in front of him. Even the Apostle Peter didn’t get it while Jesus was right there in front of him, telling him he was the Lord: 

Then Jesus made it clear to his disciples that it was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and then on the third day be raised up alive. Peter took him in hand, protesting, “Impossible, Master! That can never be! But Jesus didn’t swerve. “Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works.” (Matthew 16:21-23)

Pray for this imam, that his eyes will be opened to the One who is the Truth!

Pray for James and his family, who is being greatly used by God in a very strategic ministry, in spite of his frustrations. They are actually reaching Muslims in two different creative access countries at the same time, and facilitating the sending of workers from one to the other. Thank God!

Today is Valentine’s Day, and while we so often focus on worldly love, I challenge you to pray for yourself, for each other and for me that we will all really begin to understand what it means to be people consumed by the love of the Messiah Jesus, who came, ‘not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many’ (Mark 10:45).

-ReachAcross US Director