Extraordinary Prayer
The Call to Prayer: Muscular Darkness
As foreigners in a land
covered by the veil of Islam, how does one interact with the daily customs and
spiritual practices in a God-honoring way?
One of the pillars of
Islam is the practice of sholat, the recitation of the Shahada This ceremonial
obligation to alignment with the international body of Muslims is embraced 5
times daily. The Call to Prayer
announces that invite to the heart of a Muslim.
Take a few moments and
write down emotions you experience in times of hearing the blanket of the Call
to Prayer wafting over your neighborhood. Be sure to acknowledge both positive
and negative emotions related in the space below.
Read the following excerpt from article entitled Muscular Darkness and
discuss your own observations related to the Call to Prayer.
Muscular
Darkness
And these are but the outer fringe of His works; how faint we hear
the whisper of His mighty works, who then can understand the thunder of His
power? - Job 26:14
Biawaks
(monitor lizards). Muscular darkness. Call to Muslim prayer. Early morning. Sun
rising declares itself in the backdrop, while a breath-taking view of Mount R**** crests above an all too common thick cloud covering. Tropical birds
swarm in droves amidst the lush tropical flora announcing the day. Poisonous
snakes lurking representing a virtual kaleidoscope of life moving forward in
their daily embraced rhythms. The first of five daily Muslim worship calls
resoundingly and uniformly rises from Mosque to Mosque on this island of over
one thousand such gathering points. As commonly as the golden rays of
sunrise crest above the mountainous foreground, the expected call beckons the
hearts of these 99.9% Muslim ethnic peoples numbering 4 million.
Consider the Call to Prayer as seen from
God’s heart. Now consider God’s heart for these Muslim peoples in light of …
…their
lostness before a Holy God. This could be fuel for the intercessory fire which needs to burn
deeply within our hearts till as many as possible have access to the
transforming power of the glory of God.
…our desperate need, as
glory bearers, to persevere in Christ. Read the following excerpt and discuss
your own thoughts related.
What is it to persevere in Christ?
Seventeen years of seeing God’s sufficiency in our time thus far on the mission
field causes my heart to pause at this question.
My husband and I
sat overlooking the place of the Lord’s calling for us amongst these Muslim
Unreached People Groups. I reflect in this time as I sit in the Lord’s presence
this day like any other day on the mission field. We are surrounded by the
definitive and yet tangible evidences of how the Father has not only
strengthened our hearts but continuously invites us into that place where His
Holy Spirit teaches and empowers us to persevere. From our 2nd story
balcony overlooking freshly planted rice fields configured into Muslim
neighborhoods, I gaze. I am astonished by the beauty and worthiness of Christ
alone as the point of origin.
Precious memories
greet me declaring his praise around every corner of life here. Memories of
bringing a 3 year old and a 1 year old to this land flood my mind. Now, as we
are in the season of having seen the Lord provide for our two precious children
to be walking out the Lord’s plan for them, as we are officially “empty
nesters”, I marvel. Two kids in college, two parents returning to persevere apart
from their most precious “entrustments”. Somehow the memories of having raised
our children in this very place bring forth sweet gifts from the Lord’s hand.
It is a portrait of the Father’s masterful artistry. On this canvas is
displayed the strong colors of the Sovereign Hand of the Lord splashed through
every nuance of tones and hues displayed through the leading of the His ways.
The lingering sound of the Call to Prayer continues.
Through
physical attacks and threats,
through
life and death medical evacuations,
through
deaths of colleagues on the field,
through
shepherding others who experience emotional crisis,
through
conflicts among the missionary teams,
through
loving one another,
through
absence of grace demonstrated,
through
intense levels of grace apportioned,
through
fiery trials,
through
spiritual warfare,
through
brokenness,
through
seasons of grieving, along with seasons of great celebration…
…somehow
the Father delights in having us remain. He alone gets the glory.
Perseverance. Amazement at His ways produces a
weight of perseverance impenetrable. Does my heart yearn with the love of
Christ for these Muslim peoples, who rise five times daily to respond to that
which shall give no answer? They possess not the starting point, which leads to
the glorious end of the fullness of Christ. There is no knowledge of life in
abundance for the lost, therefore, for the lost to persevere is an exercise in
futility. Do I truly understand this? Is this reality reflected in how I view
the veneer, called Islam, which shall crumble at the Name of Jesus?
…our
heart cry which leads us, as gospel bearers, to the place of humility and
brokenness.
Brokenness is a strong and yet necessary flavor-enhancing essential ingredient
in order to embrace His higher ways. Necessary. For it is through brokenness of
the heart of a follower of Christ that we gain a greater glimpse of the glory
of God. That is, if there is yieldedness born forth in the heart of the
follower. Only then can Christ’ redemptive power have full range. Beyond all
else, it is necessary that we each decrease of self-life and move into that for
which we have been destined to embrace, Christlikeness.
…our
heart response of love and compassion for these Muslim peoples as empowered by
the Holy Spirit. The Call to Prayer is a challenge to remind us of the
Spiritual Warfare involved in this process of the demonstration and declaration
of the love of Christ.
Calvary
Love
What’s love got
to do with it? Everything. No, seriously. What is the connection of
perseverance with Calvary’s cross and Christ’s resurrection?
I can’t say that
I really understood Calvary Love before recent events compared to what glimpse
I understand now. In this, I am truly grateful to the Lord for having broken my
heart. Is it then possible that the greater work of the Father is found in the
midst of the process? Can we truly proof text moving into His presence in such
a way that we do actually experience His perfect love in the midst of even the
seemingly most Perfect Storms of our lives? Is then the process of what the
Father has allowed into our lives not the end in His economy? Honestly,
is it only when I see my own desperate need for His touch along with my
cavernous inability to transform unwanted circumstance that I see the power of
His sufficiency alone? How many times will He keep us, as believers, from
failing headlong? Countless times. How many times will my
heart not grasp that He really just wired us for delighting in His ways alone?
Though I could never imagine the journey of your own heart I know that if many
of you are continuing to stand in an infectious faith, then, you have chosen
the greater portion; perseverance born forth from a growing hunger to know and
embrace His loving touch in all ways is one of many delights from the Father’s
heart. This incredibly paradoxical life is only made possible through the power
of the Holy Spirit moving us to embrace Calvary Love in greater measure, no
matter the cost and come what may the perceived personal loss. Calvary
Love.
…our deep need to intercede
and interact with the passion of Christ for Muslim peoples
As one considers
the Call to Prayer for Muslims, may this be seen as an opportunity to
anticipate the transformation of how we view those very ones who know not His
love, His forgiveness, nor His grace and mercy. As I consider the reality that
we have been invited to be co-heirs, through Christ alone, with the God of the
universe, I find my own commitment to prayer pales in comparison. Though Muslim
peoples pray in futility and repetitions, I stand in awe of the weapons of our
warfare which we, as a Body of the Living God, so lamely appropriate.
Spend time
interceding over these reminders.
ABBA Father, clothe me this day
in humility. Remind me that there is nothing more precious and nothing more
worthy than pressing onward to know You and to adore You. Bring my heart to the
onward and upward processes of clinging to Your worthiness alone in all areas
of my life. At every Call to Prayer which goes forth among the lost, cause my
heart to pause at the reality of Your risen presence and the nearness of the
Your lavish touch. Cause my heart to be quicken to intercede for the work of
Your mighty hand in the revelation of Your truth and righteousness as the one
and only Jalan yang Lurus dan Benar (the straight and true way of Allah). May I
be one who understands at heart levels that I am coming before You, My King.
May I give you all that is due Your Holy Name in my thought, action, and
inclination of heart. In Jesus’ matchless
Name, Amen.