God's Field

Excerpt from my recent devotional:

"You are GOD'S field..." 1 Corinthians 3:9.

Paul is using 'field' as a metaphor describing where God is at work. For him it was the Corinthian church. 

My father’s fields were scattered in 5 locations. When he sent me to work, he didn’t send me to any field but to a specific field. My dad wouldn’t have been thrilled if he would have found me working the neighbor’s field or on a field he hadn’t sent me to.

All believers are on assignment from God. When God sends us to ‘a field’(a person), he is at work in that heart. And he helps us keep focused. 

We know that God often starts work in hearts by the witness of nature and humans who reflect God’s heart. A story is told that a missionary arrived in a country in Africa and announced that he came to introduce God to them. The people said “He was here before you came. We know about God.”

Haroon from China was a student at University and was curious about the Bible. So he joined a student group where he studied the Bible. He was interested in learning about Jewish history. Our friend at the International Centre realized he needed more explanation so she introduced him to us. One of his earlier statements was “the Bible and the Qur’an say the same thing.” So, we showed him that in key areas, they say the opposite and they can’t both be right. He understood that Jesus was calling him to follow him. But it wasn’t until he got back to China that he gave his life to Jesus. Our friend had Bible studies with Haroon and his father. In this situation we were all working together. It wasn’t ‘my field’…’my contact’ but ‘God’s field’. There were at least 3 parties involved in him following Jesus. But God caused the message of the Gospel to take hold of him. Likewise Paul and Apollos worked together. Neither got the credit. God did.

Every farmer knows that other than the seed and rain, the potential in a field is in the topsoil—8-10” of ordinary looking earth. The Corinthians were a 'field' with great potential for growth but it was a weedy field. Sadly, they looked just like society around them. Paul did not despair. He continued giving them ‘milk’—basic discipleship principles to get them grounded spiritually.

It takes resilience to keep going in outreach to Muslims. Sometimes it takes years of praying, befriending, reaching out and sharing. 

“When New Zealand runner Nikki Hamblin fell in the women's 5,000-meter run Tuesday morning(Aug. 16/16) American runner Abbey D'Agostino tripped over her and fell to the ground as well. Hamblin lay on the ground until she felt D'Agostino's hand on her shoulder. "Get up, get up! We have to finish!" Agostino said to her. "This is the Olympic Games. We have to finish this."

The two finished last and next to last, but both will advance to Friday's final because they were tripped. Hamblin told reporters, "I am so grateful to Abbey for helping me. That girl was the Olympic spirit right there..." Christians need more of the "Olympic spirit" these days.” (Today's Cultural Commentary)

Dear Lord, Thank-you for sending me to a 'Muslim field'. I anticipate how you will work in his heart. Amen.

"Every Sin, A Black Mark"

          "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.

Muslims say, "Life is a test". In Muslim thought, a person passes the test if he accepts whatever Allah sends. He may qualify for heaven if the good deeds outweigh bad deeds on Allah's scales.

Sakina asked if she is allowed to line-dance and still be a Muslim. Is dancing haram or halal? Sakina wondered how close to the edge can she get. There was no sense of personal holiness--being set apart.

What is sin? It's difficult for a Muslim to understand the biblical concept. For him life is all about keeping Islamic requirements. Since most Muslims do not see themselves as sinners, Vivian Stacey, missionary to Pakistan, suggests an honor/shame paradigm. "Is there anything your hand has done that you would be ashamed about before God? or Is there anything your mouth has said that you'd be ashamed about before God?", etc.

A friend seated next to a Saudi man on an extended flight started with, "You believe Adam was a prophet?" "Of course." "How many rules did God give Adam?" "He gave him one." My friend continues, "He gave Adam one rule and he failed to keep it." "Yes", agreed the Saudi. Even though Adam and Eve regretted it, they lost their place in paradise. When we think about it, Muslims have 130 rules laid out in the Qur'an and the Hadith. So, how can the 'non-prophet' type keep all those rules faithfully when Adam couldn't even keep one??

From 'Isa and Islam, Religious Dialoque': "One main theme that the Quran gives attention to is the problem of the Day of Judgment" (Commentary Al-Mishbah, M.Q. Shihab, 53). Judgment Day is a problem because of man's sin. No matter how religious someone is, his heart is still sinful. Sin must be punished. Punishment will happen on Judgment Day. There is a hadith that says: "When a person sins, a black spot is dripped into his heart" (HR. at-Tirmidzi). If every sin is like a black spot, then every person's heart is totally black!

Somalis talk about someone having 'bad blood' if involved in crime and fighting. And how do you get rid of bad blood? It takes the blood of Christ to purify an errant Somali's heart. There is actually no sacrifice we can give to cover the stain of sin. If a white cloth has even one small black stain it is worthless.

Even though the Bible has several lists of sins, the bottom line is really 2 laws God gave Moses "...to love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul, and your neighbor as yourself." repeated by Jesus. If we lack passion and love for God and others--we "fall short of the glory of God."

The heart of every man is very black and waits for the Judgement Day. Is there a way out? God(Allah) says: "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool" (Book of the Prophet Isaiah 1:18 NLT)"

When we accept God's solution to our sins as a FREE gift, our hearts are made right with God and the relationship between God and us is restored. This is the story of Easter. Praise God!

Love and Relationships

For Christmas one of our granddaughters gave us this lovely canvas rendition of 1 Corinthians 13. I hope she was affirming what she sees in our marriage and family. This is an awesome benchmark for humans to aspire to--unachievable every day without divine help!

Pir, an acquaintance from many years ago, recognized that Love comes from God. He is a former Sufi Muslim and shared his testimony with our men’s group in Pakistan. He is from a mystical group of Muslims—a group looked to for spiritual power. Pir was attracted to experiencing God’s love. He was confronted with the truth of the Gospel message and was drawn to it. But he got hung up with the concept of The Trinity. Being philosophical in nature, the Holy Spirit helped him reason it out that if God is Love, there has to be an object of love even before the creation of the world. He saw this clearly in the concept of ‘Beloved’ between God the Father and God the Son and the Holy Spirit. (“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt. 3:17) This mysterious knowledge convinced him of the truth of the Gospel and has kept Pir going to this day!

God demonstrated his love for and commitment to mankind with covenants. The word “covenant” means “a coming together” and is mentioned in the Bible over 300 times. There are 6 specific ones mentioned--with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and New Covenant(Testament).

Christian marriage is a covenant. We promise each other with God and the audience as our witnesses that we will be true to each other 'for better or worse, rich or poor, in sickness and health, until death.'
  
Our Persian friends showed us their lengthy 'Marriage Contract'. Sometimes these include a clause if unable to have children, the marriage can be annulled. I ran across the ‘Difference between a Contractual and Covenant Marriage’.

Contract: I take thee for me. Covenant: I give myself to thee.

Contract: You had better do it. Covenant: How may I serve you?

Contract: What do I get? Covenant: What can I give?

Contract: I’ll meet you halfway. Covenant: I’ll give you 100% plus.

Contract: I have to. Covenant: I want to.

There is a lot of brokenness in Muslim marriages--some related to an arranged marriage, little sense of teamwork in the home or a threat of taking another wife. Believer friends Ahmed and Karima's marriage was going very bumpy. They didn't yet have a good understanding of marriage from a biblical point of view. Finally, their mentor decided that what they needed was a 'Christian marriage'. In it they made covenant vows that brought them closer to each other.

Recently an Iranian friend took us out for supper. When we left the restaurant I opened the car door for my wife. As I went to the other side, our friend said "He loves you." Hopefully in our relationships there are other signs of love and sacrifice--"putting aside personal pride and choosing common ground in an argument--or working to understand other views over your own when it comes to handling money--or working to show the best love we can...The love we need more of, in this complex world of challenges, is a love that puts the other, before ourself." (from Lorna Dueck)

Dear Heavenly Father, may our marriage showcase how you are in our marriage. Amen.