Field Trip to the Mosque

My Understanding Islam online class joined the traditional on-campus class last week for supper at a Middle Eastern restaurant and a tour of the Islamic Association of North Texas building, including the prayer area where Muslims conduct their ritual daily prayers.

Mosques are generally decorated simply especially in the US. Everyone took their shoes off at the entrance, and then we looked at the area where the Muslims perform their cleansing before they enter the prayer rooms.

The prayer room itself is simply a large, open room with lines on the floor. Following the call to prayer, the men all gather in the main room, lining up next to each other. A section of the Qur'an is read as the followers prepare their hearts for prayer. They go through a series of movements including kneeling down with their forehead to the floor as the Scripture is repeated.

I had been inside a mosque before but I had never seen the actual prayer time. It was interesting and really helped deepen my understanding of this part of Islam. I couldn't help wondering what the people were thinking as they went through the prayer sets. Were they just going through the motions, since they do them everyday? What were they thinking about, or what requests were they lifting up to God? We have learned in our class that Muslims and Christians do worship the same God, yet Muslims do not have the full understanding of who God really is. Because they don't accept Jesus as the Savior and Son of God, they don't see the whole picture. But I couldn't help wondering as I was watching if God heard their prayers just like I believe he hears mine.

I read this quote in a newsletter about the Turkish world, and it really fits with the heart of my class and what is becoming my understanding of Muslims.
Here it is:
It is gratifying that more people are waking up to the reality of Islam in our midst. Unfortunately, too often they are waking up with a bad attitude! Muslims are not the enemy. Jesus died for them, just like he died for you and me. Our response to them should be Christ-likeness, with a well-informed understanding of who Muslims are, the needs of their hearts, and strategic vision for reaching them with the Gospel.

I think my time at the mosque was helpful in gaining understanding and I hope that I can continue to look for how to reach the Muslims around me and around the world.

Go Big Red!

I have a lot of pride in my home state. I have noticed lately that I can get defensive when people from other parts of the US speak negatively about Nebraska or have misconceptions about the way of life there. This came to my attention in a big way as the Nebraska Cornhuskers prepared for the game against the Texas Longhorns. I follow football more because it is something of interest to my brother, and out of support for my home team, but I don’t normally get too excited about it. But because I live in Longhorn country now, I had a little more interest in this game.

As you may know, Nebraska played terribly in the game yesterday. It seemed like they could do nothing right. I was embarrassed for my state, and frustrated with how things were going. Finally, I turned off the game because I was getting too intense and anxious about the whole thing. I told myself, seriously, why is this a big deal? It’s just a game!

Well, here’s what I discovered. It had a become more than just a football game to me. For some reason, I guess because I live in Texas, this game was a chance for me to prove to the world that Nebraska is just as good of a state as any other. People do actually live there, they are actually educated and the whole state is not flat (you’d be amazed at some of the things people come up with!). I wanted to humble some of the folks down here who proclaim that they live in the best place on earth. But you know what, I was the one that was humbled. For one, my team was the one that took the beating! But I also realized that I can be proud of where I live without having to prove anything to anyone else. I will always love Nebraska because it’s my home. I have roamed those cornfields and fallen in love with those open spaces. I have gazed across the flatlands and driven through the many hills. I always breathe a sigh of relief when we cross the river and my plane lands in the little airport in Omaha. Maybe my football team didn’t win, and I had to bear the brunt of some teasing down here. But in the long run, it’s okay. Life will go on and I have learned a lesson through it all.

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Today is Canada’s celebration of Thanksgiving (and we get to commemorate Columbus Day). It is a day, like Thanksgiving in the US, to celebrate the end of harvest and to pause and think of the things for which we can be thankful. The Canadian Parliament proclaimed in 1957 that the day should be: “A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed … to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October”.

Giving thanks is a familiar command in the Bible. The Psalms are full of praises and things for which the psalmist was grateful. In Philippians, thanksgiving is a command along with not worrying. In fact, gratitude is a way to let Christ take care of the worry in one’s life. Philippians 4:4-7 in the Message version says, “Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up at any minute! Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life”.

I know that I am not thankful enough for what the Lord has done for me. Lately I have been discouraged or overwhelmed with school and thinking about the future. Yet God has provided for me each step of my journey so far and I know He will not abandon me now. Sometimes I can get frustrated with people at my office, and yet I know this is where God has placed me. Other times I am simply in awe of what I get to see and experience, the places I get to go and the people I get to meet. Gratitude and praise should not just be celebrated one day of the year, but should be a part of the fabric of each day, keeping God at the center and leaving the worry behind. Can you imagine how our lives would be different if this was our attitude?

Interactions

This last week I conducted an interview for my Understanding Islam class. Through a connection that Lena had with Texas Instruments and "a friend of a friend of a friend", I set up a meeting with "Sasha" to ask her questions provided by my professor on her beliefs and experiences with Islam. I was a little nervous as this was really my first face-to-face encounter with a Muslim person. Not that I thought she was a terrorist in disguise or anything, but I wasn't sure what sort of questions she might have for me, and I so much wanted to represent the Truth of Christ to her in a way that would not be offensive. My professor had given us strict instructions to steer clear of politics and our own beliefs unless we were specifically asked.

Sasha and I met at a Starbucks and I went through my list of questions. I had sent them to her ahead of time, and I was really impressed with how well prepared she was. I could tell that she had put a lot of thought into the questions, but she wasn't just repeating what she had been taught all her life or the answers she had memorized. She was sharing what she truly believed. She was very knowledgeable about the Muslim faith and I could tell she also practiced her faith.

I was struck by the depth of knowledge that she exhibited and was a bit convicted of my own faith. If someone where to set up an interview with me, would I be able to answer with the same amount of knowledge and thought on Christianity? Do I truly know what I believe and why I believe it? Sasha made the comment that she was thankful to be born into a Muslim family because practicing Islam came easily for her. Yet she knew that she might take some things for granted because she was so familiar with it all, and lacked perhaps the passion of someone who made the decision to convert to Islam. I think this is true of many Christians as well. I know that I grew up in a Christian home and so much of our faith is familiar and I probably do take things for granted. Doing this interview with Sasha helped me to look at my own life and faith in a different light.

I also really appreciated hearing the perspective of someone outside of our textbook reading and the videos and other materials we have looked at for class. Recently we watched a video on hajj, the Islamic ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca. This is required for every Muslim to perform at least once in their lifetime. Sasha is planning to go to Mecca next year and as she was talking I was able to picture her there based on the video that we watched.

Even though I will probably not see her again, I'm so thankful for the opportunity to have met her and experience this interview. I am praying for Sasha, that she will come to understand the truth and experience the hope that is found in knowing that God has a place in heaven for us. I can also now pray with more understanding for Muslims around the world and here in the Dallas area, as I continue to learn more about their religion.