We make connections with people from all over the world and just a few weeks ago I found myself sitting in my living room listening to the story of a man from the Middle East. His country is about 99.95% Muslim. According to our new friend, people there read their holy book and take their religion very seriously. He left his home in hopes of being a better provider for his wife and 4 children. On his journey to Europe, he met 2 men from Ethiopia…one a Christian and the other a Muslim. The Christian Ethiopian began to tell stories of Jesus and soon our friend began to listen with interest while the other Muslim man walked away. 

 

Our friend ended up in a holding center for refugees where he remained for 2 years. Hary, my fiancée and a Christian friend made contact with our new friend multiple times and gave him a Bible. He began to read the Christian book and the Muslim book side by side. He compared; he contrasted. He said he saw the contrast of the Bible in its love and the Fatherhood of God. He knew that the Bible contained words of life…words of truth. Yet the fear of loss of community, loss of history, loss of family and most assuredly the loss of his life if he returned to the Middle East kept him from following Jesus.

 

I began to pray every day. Our friend said he knew if he just found peace his decision would be made. I prayed for the peace of God to be visible in his life. I felt that he was searching for a peace of this world…confirmation from others that he was walking right; but that confirmation was NOT going to come from his Muslim friends. I prayed he would receive wisdom from other Christians. One friend boldly said, “Your search is for something here on this earth when the only peace we need is the knowledge of His presence in our life from now and forever, why do you ask for more?” And like a light bulb going off in his head, our friend handed over his Koran and said, “I choose the Bible…I will not be afraid to read it when others can see…I will listen boldly to Christian sermons on the tv…I choose Jesus.”

 

Our new friend is a different man. His face is happier…a cloud has lifted. He found peace. He still struggles with the hurtful words of the Muslim men who live around him in the facility and he wants strength to endure and not return to the familiar ways of Islam. He asked if the 5 of us eating with him at my house would lay our hands on him and pray for him to be “glued to Jesus!” Without hesitation we gathered around our friend and prayed. 

 

I am privileged this month to see a man find the peace, love and Fatherhood of our God. I am privileged to see people at different places in their journey and walk with the Savior. I am privileged because I get to wait in expectation for God to work in each of the areas I have given to Him each day. And I can see that when I spend my time in prayer asking for others to be “glued” to Jesus…the result doesn’t just show up in the life I have prayed for but I too am glued with each moment I spend in prayer. With all of those around us in such a state of need, we should never run short of the privilege or blessing that others offer for us to go to the Father on their behalf and see what He can do in each life.