One of the primary ways God is drawing Muslims to Himself is through simple Bible studies that highlight passages of scripture from Creation through the Resurrection. The Waha app contains many story sets that have been translated into dozens of languages. Throughout the 30 days we will pray through these story sets that reveal Jesus, the Word made flesh.
As you read these familiar passages, prayerfully imagine what it would be like to read them for the first time – to see the wisdom, power, beauty, and authority of God and to be drawn to trust in Christ and yield your allegiance to Him.
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
God does things that we only understand later: “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
One weakness of humanity is thinking that our judgments are better than God’s regarding what is or is not appropriate for either Him or us.
Islam has no teaching, understanding, or capacity for an image of a God who stoops down to wash the feet of His followers. This teaching is shocking, repulsive, and offensive to them — just as it was to the Jews of Jesus’ day. Jesus persevered with them and continued to reshape their understanding, eventually giving them His Spirit, who could transform them from the inside out to see things the way He does.
Two Christian families who stepped away from good government jobs in their home country, chose to serve in a 99% Muslim nation as church planters five years ago. When a coup caused their financial support to drop to nothing, the organization asked them to return home.
Still feeling God’s call, they sought to return to the Muslim nation without resources. Once there, they embraced the local lifestyle entirely, working in the gardens and farms just like the local people. This humble example was revolutionary. Traditionally, Muslim women in the community stayed home, but seeing these Christian wives working in the fields inspired other women to join them.
They started Discovery Bible Study (DBS) groups, teaching women about healthy diets and how to support their families by sharing and working the land together. This work brought dignity and joy. The men eventually joined the farm work too. Despite floods sometimes sweeping away everything, the couples remain obedient and courageous, continuing to share the gospel. They are making disciples, baptizing people, and seeing Christ manifested in the community because they truly made themselves of “no reputation.”
Pray for Christians in this place to model the humility of Christ and that it would be a compelling witness, drawing families to follow Jesus.
We intercede for our brothers and sisters in Christ in this place, praying Philippians 2 over them. May they be of the same mind, having the same love. We pray they would do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than themselves.
As they look not only to their own interests, but also to the interest of others, may it be a compelling testimony that would make nonbelieving onlookers want to know more about the source of the power to put others first.
We pray our brothers and sisters here would have the mind of Christ, who though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.