Was it from the food? No, it wasn't. I was gripped by the challenge given to Christians from this video that I have just watched. You should be able to play it in a while. I have posted it here.
I can't believe it's been a month since we last met with the children. Of course time has flown especially with world events catching our attention and deep concern. I'm sure many of us did our own interceding for how things are happening around the globe. Not to mention the problems in our own nation.....
By now the children's families have ended the feast that comes after their month-long prayer and fasting. It really amazes me how they can devote such a long time (one whole month) every year and not even regard it as a sacrifice. What I even more admire is that their children also fast. Twelve years and above, children, together with their family members eat only their 'suhoor' meals before sunrise and the 'Iftar' meals after sunset for 29 to 30 straights days. Any food in between such mealtimes is forbidden.
Sometimes I think that I need to develop that sense of self-restraint. I count the number of celebrations and occasions that I love to attend.... birthdays, a baby shower every now and then, graduation, weddings, family Sunday lunches, anniversaries, monthsaries, { I know :-) } monthly/weekly and even daily fellowships, blowouts.... or just plain gatherings. In all of these events you can bet your bottom dollar that food is never absent. I mean, I can't think of any such month in a year where there is not a birthday among our community of friends and I noticed there's really no room for this kind of discipline. I feel ashamed somehow.
Anyways, about the last week of July until this week we were surprised to hear from the children that they were not being allowed to come to our center because they, too needed to fast during the afternoon time. To me that also spells discipline. What a remarkable way to teach culture and tradition! So, we did not waste our time. From our end, we took this chance to pray while they were also praying. God has led us to remember how He has promised to bless all the families of the earth, and that includes the Muslims. I remember this portion of Scripture which says that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law in order that in the Messiah, Jesus, the blessing of Abraham, might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith....These promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed" This is found in Galatians 3:13-14 and 16a of the New Testament. Furthermore, it says in Galatians 3:29: "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
In my personal time of prayer, I had asked God to call their attention, that as they are sincerely devoting such time towards God, that He may reach them behind those veils and point them to the true Messiah.
Below is a video that has challenged me to dedicate my life in reaching the unreached.....every breath and every bit of strength that God gives me every day.... be used for the cause of Christ.
This 'small act of kindness' that we do to our neighbors' children may seem insignificant as to the number to be reached. Yet I believe that it would contribute in a way that God Himself will bring a harvest as we faithfully do our small part. The pictures below are from previous months' feeding days. I would ask your kind support again in prayer for these children as we resume our feeding and teaching this first Saturday of September. A hedge of protection over the children, provision for our financial needs, strength, wisdom and patience for our volunteers, and open hearts ready to receive the gospel among these children. Till then may God our Lord favor each reader with blessings that we may continue to live as He has purposed in each one of us.
A question that I would like to pose as you ponder upon praying for the unreached....
How many Muslim groups and communities all over the world do you know about?
The thing is, it would be good to know whom we are praying for. I encourage you to visit this website:
www.30-days.net
This will tell you more about where these Muslims live in various parts of the world, their problems, situations, and all such info about them as to give us prayer ideas. It also contained the 30-day prayer guide we have used in praying for them to coincide with their Ramadan. I also encourage you to pray in a way that would reach the heartbeat of God - seeking His will as to how He would ask you to participate in this global outreach. May He direct you and guide you and lead you even as He is challenging the followers of the Messiah to love the Muslims as He does.
My digital clock registers an early 0100 hours. (I should greet every one a good morning for a brand new day God has given us.) That's 8 hours since I began writing to post this blog (evening meal and dinner guest entertaining in between). To calculate further, that's 480 long minutes. One hundred twenty thousand new birthdays will be celebrated; some eighty-six thousand four hundred graves ready for coffins to be lowered....
The numbers are staggering; the clock is yet ticking.
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