Lovefast 13: Retrieve
By Phil S from Mahabba's Network Team
Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!
Daily verse
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”
Thought for the day
Retrieve
Bishop Kenneth Cragg led the way for many on how to approach Muslims and share faith with them.
He was respectful, relational and invitational. He wrote classics like ‘Sandals at the Mosque’ and the ‘Call of the Minaret’.
When you hear the azhan recited by a muezzin what do you hear?
Cragg suggest that the call of the minaret is a call to prayer for Muslims, but also a call for Christians as well - a call to retrieval - to present the Christ that Muslims have missed.
The call of the minaret must always seem to the Christian a call to retrieval. He yearns to undo the alienation and to make amends for the past by as full a restitution as he can achieve of the Christ to Whom Islam is a stranger. The objective is not as the Crusaders believed the repossession of what Christendom had lost, but the restoration to Muslims of the Christ Who they have missed. All that the minaret both says and fails to say is included in this call to retrieval as the listening Christian hears it.
Prayer for the day
Watch this call to prayer produced by Channel 4 and pray for opportunities for Muslims to meet Christ not as stranger but as friend
Daily action
Watch this clip from The Message (the story of Prophet of Islam) of Bilal and the first call to prayer. When you hear a call to pray then why not take the opportunity to do so - and pray for Muslims (or even to go and visit the mosque and reach out to a Muslim)
Your turn
Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!