Islam
December 31, 2019
“Jesus looked at him and loved him…” (Mark 10:21, NIV 1984). I just arrived home after attending a Muslim prayer service for the wife and child of a friend. His wife died tragically one week before birthing their first son. The service was simple with a few additional prayers in Arabic after the third prayers of the day at 5 p.m. I was able to spend some minutes speaking with the one who had lost so much. He was filled with a deep and beautiful peace that came from surrendering to God’s will. He plans to spend the next 30 years of his life working, trusting God and not complaining to the world of his loss, and thus deserve to join his wife and child in heaven. Nothing about this man’s faith was artificial or insincere. He holds no anger for life’s great blow. He trusts God to do in his life as God sees fit. He has surrendered to God’s will in the way I hope I can when my turn comes. I have no criticism of his approach to this horrendous tragedy. I wish most Christians could face such loss so well. Many do. If a man who follows Islam can meet life’s greatest blow with such surrender to the Almighty, does this make his religion more valid? It certainly makes his personal faith deserving of my respect. I do not find myself doubting the cross of Christ when confronting such a successful approach to life’s worst blow, even though it came through a different faith. I do not believe there is a way to God our Father except through the blood of Christ. Since I have a responsibility to share this truth with my friend, how do I do so? Dear Father, Please bring this young man to you. Amen