New Scriptural Lenses

Friday night I again traveled with my sister to North Dallas to attend Oasis Prayer (Muslim prayer time). Friday was a special night because we were blessed to have a man named Nabeel Jabbour with us. Nabeel works with The Navigators and specializes in Eastern thought. He explained to us that there are 4 paradigms in the Bible that we use to teach scripture. 1) guilt and righteousness, 2) shame and honor, 3) clean and unclean, 4) fear and power. He told us that as westerners we latch onto the guilt and righteous paradigm because it follows a logical progression. Most of us are familiar with the Roman Road because it also follows the logical progression, and that it how many of us tell unbelievers about Christ. However, Muslims do not feel guilt. I know, weird phenomenon, but they don't ever feel guilty. So if I explain the gospel to them using the Roman road, or really any of Paul's epistles, it doesn't stick with them because they can't connect with the guilt righteousness paradigm.

When Paul wrote his epistles, he wrote them to the Greeks. When Jesus was speaking about the kingdom of heaven He did not tell people about a step by step process, He spoke in parables because He spoke to the Hebrews. Jesus' parables contain a wealth of information that Easterners can relate to. Though they don't feel guilty, they do feel unclean and shameful. That is the root of their concern and when you speak to them about cleanliness, or honor it hits home and settles in their heart.

Nabeel walked us through several parables to teach us what to look for when reading the Bible with these new scriptural lenses. The most powerful parable was that of the prodigal son. I had never heard the story explained the way Nabeel explained it, but it makes perfect sense. When I read the story with the shame/honor paradigm in mind and know just even a little bit about the culture in those times, the story came to life in a way it never had before. It refreshed me and drew me closer to Jesus because I could see how this story was alive, and still impacted so many people. A story I once regarded as a child's story; a good Sunday school lesson, now has new meaning and lessons for me to learn.

It also provokes questions that need to be answered:

How does this story parallel the life of Jesus? In my mind, I'm the prodigal son. I grasp onto the sin of entitlement, I think I am "entitled" to my wants/desires. I am a sinner, who thankfully was broken and came back to my heavenly father, hoping He would accept me as His servant. Instead of rejecting me, as He should have done, He runs to greet me, not caring if He looks like a fool. He opens His arms and accepts me into His family, and all heaven rejoices that I have come. The older brother is a like the pharisees. He works hard, obeys the laws, but does not understand mercy and grace. He does not think I deserve such treatment, for I have done nothing to earn it, and he's right. I have done nothing to deserve God's love, but He continually gives it to me.

Why does the story abruptly end? We never find out what happens. I want to know how the older brother reacts. But the story is just cut off after the father's gentle rebuke to his oldest son. If we're still paralleling this to the life of Christ, then here's what happens in my imagination. The older son leaves his father's home angry and upset and the father goes back into the house to serve the guests at the party. While in town the son starts spreading lies about his father, wanting to drag his reputation through the mud. He wants people to despise his father the way he does, so he'll tell them anything to make them attack him, which they do. The people attack and crucify him, even though he committed no sin. The son is the pharisees, while the father is Jesus. I have no biblical basis for this thought, but it's how I imagine the story unfolding.

I took 4 pages of notes during this 45 minute lecture. It was refreshing to be in a learning environment, and I was reminded that I'm always in a learning environment, if I'm only patient enough to listen. God graciously reveals Himself to me in new ways all the time, I just need to look at my life and the world through His eyes, not my own.

God's ways continually amaze me. I was so nervous the first time I traveled to this prayer meeting, that I felt sick to my stomach, I didn't want to be stretched or pulled outside my comfort zone. Now, just one week later the group, through God's grace, is enriching my life and giving me a fresh perspective on Bible lessons I've heard since I was a child. God is so good!!

Fellowship and Prayer

This past Friday night, my friend Meredith, my sister Kristen and I attended a prayer meeting. The specific prayer time focused on Muslims around the world during ramadan. On our way to north dallas, I was beginning to feel a little un-easy. I don't have a heart for Muslims; they aren't a people group I'm passionate about and I don't know much about them. Plus, many times I believe the lie Satan feeds me that my prayers are inadequate and insufficient. We arrived late to Bethany's, and walked in on the group already deep in prayer. Feeling even more uncomfortable at this, I quietly made my way through the room, sat down and started talking to God. My plea, was that my heart would be engaged and not down cast and that I would not allow myself to be distracted during this time.

After Matt ended his prayer, we introduced ourselves to the group. There was a total of 9 people in the room, including the 3 of us. Matt, his wife Tabbitha and their 5 week old daughter Abigail. Bethany, John Mark, and Jared. We briefly talked about ourselves, and then Jared brought us back on track. Praying with people I do not know is something I'm learning to become comfortable with, but I'm not there yet, so my plan was to listen to everyone's prayers and keep my thoughts between me and God. I tried not to panic when Jared handed me a pamphlet on praying around the world for Muslims during ramadan, and said we were all going to pray for a specific country. As the prayed I would remain calm and when my turn came around, I found myself speaking from my heart. It was a very powerful experience, I don't know where the words came from, but they just flowed out.

During our fellowship time, Kristen, Meredith and I mentioned that we would like to empower the younger generation of our church to reach out to the community and to become involved in church life, but how we were struggling with getting the older generation to support us in that effort. There are so many ministry opportunities around the DFW area, we just need to find the place where God wants us. The group covered the 3 of us in prayer and I walked away from the night feeling as if I could conquer the world.

As the prayer night ended and we talked I was reminded that when I pray, I need to pray with confidence; I need to expect things to happen when I pray. I so often forget what a powerful tool prayer is. Christ tore the veil the separated us from God when he died on the cross, giving us full access to God's ear. Why do I doubt? I know the answer to that question, but I don't want to accept it, and I don't have to. There is no reason to doubt, no reason to prayer without confidence. I serve a mighty God who can accomplish whatever I ask of Him.

I was also reminded that it doesn't matter if I have a heart for Muslims or not. The Lord calls me to prayer for those who do not know him. That's part of being a member of the body of Christ. It's supporting my sister in her passions and empowering her. It's being connected to a new group of people who I'm instantly drawn to because we're part of Christ's family. God wants my heart to break with the things that break His heart, so whether or not I'm passionate about Muslims, I both can and need to pray for them. It's a lesson I learned that I hope to never forget.

Life's Changes

Last month, I was a 23 year old who had just finished her second summer at Camp War Eagle, and was the director of a follow-up ministry called "Ozone". This month, I have left Arkansas, moved to Dallas, had my twin sister get married, move into an apartment by myself and started a new job as the director of children's ministry. All that to say, this past month has been a whirlwind with lots of emotional ups and downs. But I'm stronger because of it, as cliche as that might sound, it's true.

As hard as it was leaving friends who I grew to love and admire in Arkansas, drive down to Dallas, I know now that I made some kind of an impact on their lives. As emotional as it was to be the maid of honor in my sister's wedding, I got to see two people pledge their lives to each other in a pure and holy way that touched the lives of all who attended the wedding. As weird as it is living in an apartment by myself, I'm discovering how precious solitude and stillness are. And finally, as difficult as it was to start a new job, I'm learning more about the body of Christ, and what it means to be a member of that body.

I'm still processing through so many emotions, but finding joy in a sunshiny day, or a child's laugh. I'm also working through what it means to live and minister to this side of the globe, and connect that with a third world country in Africa I know exists. Lots of changes, lots of thoughts and emotions to work through, but lots of lessons learned.