Before the Throne

Tonight at "vespers" an ex-muslim woman came and gave her testimony of how she had come to faith in Jesus Christ. I'm rather at a loss to express how amazing it was. God is so good to work in people's lives. She talked about how, when she was younger, she couldn't understand why women were treated like they were. She felt like she was being punished for being a woman, and since God made her that way, why was he then puninshing her? So she started reading the Koran and finding out what it said about women. Eventually she came to a point where she said "God, I know you exist, but I don't want to pray to you or obey you or have anything to do with you. I think humans are better than you because they love their sons and daughters more than you love us. I know heaven and hell are real, and I choose to go to your hell." Eventually, through a series of events I won't go into, she came to faith in Christ. One of the barriers that kept her from faith at first was the fear of bringing same to her family, and possibly of being murdered by a family member. God worked miracles for her in that her mother and her brothers were all very accepting of her new faith (and her mother has since been saved). Nevertheless, she is still afraid that someone will try to kill her. She told the story of a woman who was murdered by her father fairly recently. The woman hadn't even come to faith yet, but her husband had, so she was murdered before she could, to "prevent her from going to hell." So we pray for thousands of converts because, as she said, they can't kill all of them! Right now she is ministering with Campus Crusade in Israel. Pray for her and her ministry. Pray for protection, especially for the ex-muslim Christians. Pray comfort and growth for the "muslims" who secretly believe but are too afraid to tell anyone.

Tonight we sang the song "Before the Throne of God Above" both before and after this dear sister shared. It's an amazing song, but my thoughts the second time seemed to have added poingnancy after what I had heard. I'll put the words below and try to elucidate a few of my thoughts next to them.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

This is so different from the Muslim god that she spoke about. His name is not Love. The God we serve does love us, unconditionally. And He loves Muslims and wants them to also know this great love.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

I think that there would be huge temptations to despair, even for those who are saved, in a Muslim environment. Yet they too can find hope in Christ. And the freedom they find in Christ must be incredible when compared to the bondage of Islam.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One with Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

One with Himself I cannot die - even for those believers who are murdered by their family members, it is not the end. Their life is eternal and abundant. This is also a good reminder for me to not value my own life too much. Am I willing to lay it down?

It was a good night. Tomorrow we head off on a three day long field study (so if you don't hear from me...that's why.) We are going to the Shephelah, Beersheva, the Negev, Arad, the Dead Sea, En Gev, Qumran, and various sites in those areas. It should be fun. :) And I should go and finish packing.

Random fact of the day: 10 years ago today, I was on my way to Israel for the first time. I'm glad I finally made it back! :)