This past Sunday we had the privilege of hearing from Samy Tanagho, founder of Glad News for Muslims. As Samy spoke, I couldn’t help but see his joy for the Lord…it was truly contagious.
With vigor and passion he shared his heart for Muslims who are thirsty for the gospel.
God is appearing to them in dreams, reaching out to save them from the hopelessness of life, and romancing them with His unconditional love.
Samy shared that the Muslim people are very driven by emotions, they wear their heart on their sleeve and will often cry or get angry, showing how they truly feel, as opposed to how it is in America.
This made me sit back and pause.
Isn’t it beautiful that the Lord meets us wherever we are? No matter what personality we have, no matter how our culture has ingrained behavior in us, not matter what holds us back or stops us from coming to Him…
His pursuit for us is relentless.
His love is overwhelming in the best way.
So it makes sense that a people who are in touch with their emotions would immediately be drawn to a God that speaks directly to the human heart.
In 1 Samuel 16:7 the Bible says, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
We even see this in the life and appearance of Jesus:
“He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2)
At the end of Samy’s teaching he shared that because of the political realities we face, a lot of human hearts have grown cold towards Muslims. We tend to look down on them, call them monsters because of their acts of terrorism, or even worse…hold back the gospel because deep down we don’t feel that they deserve God’s love and forgiveness.
I have to admire the way Spurgeon challenges us on this point:
“Oh, my brothers and sisters in Christ, if sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies, And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stop, and not madly to destroy themselves. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”
At some point in our walk with Christ, we must come to the realization that we are as Paul says “the chief of sinners”(1 Timothy 1:15), and even in spite of that…God chose to save us anyway.
YOU were the chief of all sinners…and that never stopped Him.
So why do we hesitate to share that love with other sinners in need of grace?
I don’t know about you, but this weekend gave me a lot to think about. I am more inspired to share my faith with Muslims, I am more excited to have conversations and to cover Samy’s ministry in prayer.
Isn’t it true that daily we forget that we hold the truth that can change someone’s life?
So I have to ask…will you walk forward with me in grace and boldness, as we strive to seek and save the lost?
Lord, we are ready. Let us be your hands and feet.
With vigor and passion he shared his heart for Muslims who are thirsty for the gospel.
God is appearing to them in dreams, reaching out to save them from the hopelessness of life, and romancing them with His unconditional love.
Samy shared that the Muslim people are very driven by emotions, they wear their heart on their sleeve and will often cry or get angry, showing how they truly feel, as opposed to how it is in America.
This made me sit back and pause.
Isn’t it beautiful that the Lord meets us wherever we are? No matter what personality we have, no matter how our culture has ingrained behavior in us, not matter what holds us back or stops us from coming to Him…
His pursuit for us is relentless.
His love is overwhelming in the best way.
So it makes sense that a people who are in touch with their emotions would immediately be drawn to a God that speaks directly to the human heart.
In 1 Samuel 16:7 the Bible says, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
We even see this in the life and appearance of Jesus:
“He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2)
At the end of Samy’s teaching he shared that because of the political realities we face, a lot of human hearts have grown cold towards Muslims. We tend to look down on them, call them monsters because of their acts of terrorism, or even worse…hold back the gospel because deep down we don’t feel that they deserve God’s love and forgiveness.
I have to admire the way Spurgeon challenges us on this point:
“Oh, my brothers and sisters in Christ, if sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies, And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stop, and not madly to destroy themselves. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”
At some point in our walk with Christ, we must come to the realization that we are as Paul says “the chief of sinners”(1 Timothy 1:15), and even in spite of that…God chose to save us anyway.
YOU were the chief of all sinners…and that never stopped Him.
So why do we hesitate to share that love with other sinners in need of grace?
I don’t know about you, but this weekend gave me a lot to think about. I am more inspired to share my faith with Muslims, I am more excited to have conversations and to cover Samy’s ministry in prayer.
Isn’t it true that daily we forget that we hold the truth that can change someone’s life?
So I have to ask…will you walk forward with me in grace and boldness, as we strive to seek and save the lost?
Lord, we are ready. Let us be your hands and feet.
Erika Pizzo
Erika is an author of various books on the topics of faith, mental health, and victory in Christ. She also hosts the weekly podcast “Temple Care” where she provides regular messages of encouragement. Erika lives with her husband, daughter, son, and their fluffy poodle in sunny Southern California. Her two favorite things are a visit to the beach and a chai latte in hand.