"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property..." Matthew 25:14.
I had a meeting with our financial advisor recently. He has given me good and godly advice for many years regarding some money we've set aside for our retirement. One of principles in investing is 'think long-term'.
From the parable of the 'talents', we see that the master entrusted a sizable amount of money to each of his servants according to their ability to use on his behalf.
Put into modern terms, each of his employees was empowered to invest wisely what the boss gave them.
The main application we can take from this is that each person has been entrusted with unique abilities by God. Some more and some less. None of the gifts he has given are insignificant. They are all important in the kingdom of God. At the end of age, we will meet our 'master', not for judgement and condemnation but for rewards. The best news we can hear is "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
If we can translate this to 'ministry', we like to think of 'long term investment' too. We hope and pray that the 'seed thoughts' we have sown in each Muslim contact's mind would sprout and grow into faith in Jesus. There are obviously different seasons in ministry--starting from the initial befriending and then coming alongside them and caring for them for many years. We have invested not only time in relating but time in praying and tracking with some of our Muslim friends for years and some decades. For those who show no spiritual appetite, we may take a hiatus but check in with them from time to time. We can do this quite naturally when our Muslim friend has experienced a loss or something special.
The Berlin Wall was erected in the dead of night on August 13, 1961 to keep disenchanted East Berliners from leaving. On November 9, 1989, as the Cold War began to thaw across Eastern Europe, the spokesman for the East Berlin's Communist Party announced a change in his city's relations with the West. Starting at midnight that day, he said, citizens of the GDR(German Democratic Republic) were free to cross the country's borders.
The Berlin Wall didn't just come down in one day. There were many years of pressure on the communist government--on both sides of the border. Finally one day, an opening in the wall was allowed and people rushed across. Soon the dreaded wall was demolished. Many took pieces of the Berlin Wall as mementos or to profit from by selling a 'piece of the wall'.
We see that the 'Muslim World' is crumbling and becoming fragmented. With the power of God and the prayer and perseverance of God's people, many Muslims are listening to the Good News. This is a call to all of you reaching out to Muslims--do not grow weary in well-doing, keep on investing, and 'putting pressure on the wall of resistance' with God's help. There will be a harvest...a great harvest at the end of the age. It has already begun. Praise God."And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9.
