Today’s 24-hour news cycle and round-the-clock social media activities sometimes seem to polarize Americans more than ever. It can seem like we are being coached to develop an endless appetite for drama and division.
One of these topics that might incite division in some places on the internet is Ramadan, the Islamic Holy month. But what if, instead of letting news culture polarize us against Muslims, we let it drive us to pray?
What if our prayers went “through” an unexpected place? What If we committed to pray for the Muslim World during Ramadan?
In John 4, the Bible tells us that Jesus “had” to go through Samaria. This is an unusual thing to say, since in this day, Jewish leaders usually went out of their way to avoid Samaria.
In fact, it’s here in Samaria where Jesus encountered the woman at the well. Even though Jewish men customarily never spoke to Samaritan women, Jesus surprised those around him by not only speaking to her, but making this woman the first person in the gospels that Jesus reveals his true identity to! Jesus took the time to wade into a complex scenario, he met the woman where she was at and he invited her toward truth. And the result? She went on to become one of the first evangelists…all because Jesus “had” to go through a place that other religious leaders typically avoided.
What if we looked at Ramadan like one of the “Samarias” for today’s Christians? What if, even though the world expects us to avoid it, we did something that surprised everyone? If instead of avoiding Ramadan, we purposefully committed to praying for the Muslim World?
Perhaps, in God’s grace, he might make Ramadan—a thing Christians usually avoid—into one of the very tools God uses to bring people to His heart.
To participate, we’d like to invite you to download the free Pray for the Muslim World prayer journal.
Our hope is it will help us:
- Educate ourselves about what over 1.8 billion of the world’s people are engaging in this month.
- Pray that God apprehends hearts during this season of prayer and fasting.
- Pray that God builds up Jesus followers in Muslim regions.
- Pray that God teaches us something new about His inexhaustible love for ALL of his children.
- Remind us how we can go to God about even life’s most complex and polarizing issues.
Are you a pastor or church staff member? Download a free church resource to help your church pray for the Muslim world here.
Are you willing to help encourage others to pray for Muslims during Ramadan? Please feel free to share these graphics on your social media.
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