3 things I find admirable about muslims

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Disparities may abound on the citing of the moon, the fact is that Ramadhan has started and muslims worldwide will be involved in a period of praying and fasting.

Al Qaeda, IS, Al Shabaab may give the image of muslims being nothing but violent, but the fast of Ramadhan serves to underline how wrong such a view it is. It is an extremely admirable ordinance, fasting and it’s not the only thing I find admirable about muslims.

Matter of fact, here are 3 things I find admirable about muslims

1.      Like I said, they fast

 Once, the need to fast was illustrated using a very appropriate analogy. Those who don’t fast were likened to people who walk bare feet and had the choice of wearing shoes. They knew that shoes are comfortable, good for feet, protected them from sharp objects, and ensured the feet were kept clean but despite all these advantages they chose not to wear shoes.

Similarly, Christians knowing that fasting brings one close to God, gives one victory over strongholds, leads to revival amongst others; bizarrely, confounding all reason, it is a practice that is given a wide berth.

 

Yours truly, for example, started fasting last year. Let me underscore that, STARTED FASTING LAST YEAR!!!

I have been a follower of Christ for 14 years and my thirteenth year, is when I was convicted to fast, for a week, just missing meals in the morning, although, I pumped my system with water. Not so muslims.

Fasting is indigenous to them even their children fast, and theirs is a morning till evening thing, without water. Fasting has been quite an experience for me.  When I denied my body food, that when it’s started to show me ATT.

During fasting, is when my mind will conveniently remind me, “Ken you have a passion for food, why haven’t you being following that passion, hmm?” That’s when my mind sadistically conjures up images of me making chocolate sauce as a dip and dunking hob nobs into it and subsequently my mouth!!  Tantalizing stuff!! That’s just only the start.

I then begin to remember how I’ve sorely missed fish fingers with tartar sauce . Then, I recall my dream of starting a restaurant, and the menu, “What could possibly accompany sweet potato fries?” “Could I use Heinz Ketchup really, it tastes good on just about everything, cinnamon maybe?”

“ Speaking of fries, why didn’t I ever get the chance to sample golden French fries with parmesan sauce while I was at Norfolk, chips and CHEESE!!! Yum” Not forgetting,  I’m  still yet to sample  ravioli, moussaka, shepherd’s pie, What have I been doing with my life? SIGH

Then I remember Guy Fieri and his food adventures, triple SIGH!!! “Fasting, Ken, fasting. “, I’m reminded. Oh right, that, yeah. Probably the Holy Spirit redirecting my to focus to the crux of the matter, the denial of food  and its spiritual purpose rather than the food itself.

To think,that muslims do this, every year for a month. Big up. I know how on some Sundays I skip lunch but drink a sufficient amount of water but still come evening, my stomach decides to stage what I would call ‘peaceful demonstrations’. The hunger pangs and loud groans of ‘solidarity forever’ within mean it’s no-longer business as usual. It’s like tyres are being set ablaze in my stomach and since calls for dialogue have been ignored, the only way to end the conflict is food.

It’s why I laud muslims as they do this every year, for a month, without water ; talk of gratifying the desires of the spirit over the body!  It’s clearly more commitment than I have shown to God in the past and for that I laud them and pray that God reveals himself to them as they practise self restraint and deny themselves.

Fasting for me, may have reminded me of my love for food, but denying myself food and humbling myself before God made scripture come alive and God reveal himself to me. It brought me new perspectives of how God works and how I ought to respond to him. It empowered me in my fight against lust and illustrated that I had control over my body not that my body had control over me. My hope is that muslims will have a similar experience if not better.

2. Their active prayer life

Early in the morning, blasting from a set of speakers, a voice calls out urging muslims to pray. The faithful respond, by bowing their knees in reverence and praying, not just once but 4 more times during the day.

Starting, early in the morning, muslims make it a point to set time to pray. I can’t say the same for myself.

I prefer the warmth of my blanket than to get up and go on my knees to talk to the God who gave me sleep, warmth and the blanket I use an excuse for not meeting him. David in Psalms 143:8 and Jesus, modelled the behaviour of seeking God early in the morning, it’s a shame I play truant instead of going to meet God early in the day. It’s a shame how sometimes a day can pass by without prayer and I have the cheek to say, “I can’t find time for God!!!”

God could make time for me, 33 years to be exact, to come to earth, to live as a human, to die a death that I should have died but apparently, I am too busy to give him, at the very least, 33 minutes of my day to read his word, meditate on it and pray.

In addition, prayer can just be a monologue instead of the dialogue he desired, when I badger him with my requests. It’s sad to say it but it’s almost as if God is just a sponsor, only called upon when stuff is needed. God hook me up with a job, God hook me up with a client, God hook me up with a car, God hook me up with a husband. The moment he hooks us up, we say thanks and do a vanishing act, only to re-emerge at the next time we need a withdrawal.

Shouldn’t prayer also be about asking God what I should do for him? Shouldn’t I also be interested in God telling me what he is doing around me, and see how I can adjust my life to his work. Majority of the time, the focus is me, my needs, my requests when it should be him, his wants, his will, the requests and needs for others.

Jesus, even facing death, prayed for God’s will to be done, that’s something I should strive to do and it would possibly be more achievable if I could pray as frequently as muslims pray. To be little with God is to be little for God. I should heed the call to pray more often.

3.  They remain true to themselves, their values and their convictions and don’t hide it

This month of Ramadan represents a period where muslims exercise not only self-restraint from food or water but sex, smoking, impure thoughts. They make a concerted effort to avoid impurity. One of their values, that they hold steadfast to, whereas on the other hand, we as Christians tend to throw those values and convictions aside for compromise.

Urban culture today has no qualms about compromising. Matter of fact, striving to be righteous or pure is ridiculed.  You can see it all around. Surveys showing that few mind having sponsors or that many are ok with gambling their way to wealth, or the view that few care how wealth is obtained, even it is through fraudulent means, the bottom line is you have got your wealth. The quality of our university education has been so compromised that examining bodies abroad no longer trust the validity of our local degrees. Values such as honesty, diligence, integrity, chastity, are on their death bed.

Muslims, on the contrary, hold their values and convictions dear to them. They value honor, loyalty,passion for justice and fear for God. They strongly believe in brotherhood, and family.

God is gracious and merciful, but unfortunately, his grace and mercy has often served as an excuse for us to be casual with the way we live out our faith. It is a casualness that has seen us compromise our faith in more ways than one.

Too many times we live life on the edge or cross over it. Watching a series like, “Ok, sex scene, I’ll just fast forward, I’ll forward again and again and again.." The sexual content is far from above normal but no biggie. Then with gambling, “Sportpesa, isorait, it’s not like any money has been stolen and besides, low risk, high returns, it’s a smart investment." Deep down, you can hear the Holy Spirit convicting you of guilt and a desire to be true to your convictions of being a Christian and what God’s word says  but his pleas falls on deaf ears.

I find it terrible that when a woman is raped, the first question is, “What were you wearing?” I also know, that is unfair for women to have to curtail their freedom in what they wear to liberate us men from lust.  However, regardless of the perspectives above, there is still a responsibility to honor God with your body. That responsibility seems  have been disregarded.

These days it’s like there is added pressure to flaunt one’s physical beauty. In a bid to look pretty, fashionable, a good number  of ladies have ended up compromising and crossing that thin line between  being elegant, pretty, stylish and  moving to that of being too explicit, sexy and raunchy.

I really want to love future bae by remaining chaste for her and thus provide emotional security for her with an exclusive relationship free from sexual experiences with others gone wrong. Furthermore I want to love her for who she is and not for what she looks like.  I hear women preach the same,(being loved for who they are rather than their looks) In fact, I hear it a lot. Unfortunately, I  hear one thing but I see another as the body is the one that is the desirable object of love as it flaunted constantly. It’s like I’m being goaded, “look, look, love me for who I look like, affirm my looks by liking my pics, notice me, compliment physical me.”

The argument has been that ladies dress for themselves and not to impress men but you never hear on social media, “Kindly men, stop liking my pics, unlike them this very instant,  return those compliments of yours,” if anything they are buoyed by the likes or the compliments and go ahead to post more pics of themselves or wear something even more revealing.

Maybe its the variety of dresses these days. Lbds, lwds,lrds,  lcds, wait no, that last one is a tv screen not a little dress of a certain color but you get the point. I haven’t even talked bodycon, pencil or bandage skirts. At almost every corner, estate, bus-stop, bus, town and even church, I get an alert, “ Dear child of God, your sexual purity bundle has expired, kindly top up in prayer or scripture to avoid lusting and a disruption in your fellowship with God.”

The majority of muslims live their lives differently.  Their ladies haven’t embraced the urban culture as much. Instead, they have stuck to theirs, desiring purity. Some could argue that muslim women are forced to wear burqas, that it is imposed on them, that it is conservative or oppressive. Truth is, a good number of muslim women are proud of burqas for a no of reasons like illustrating their commitment to their culture,showcasing their identity but another being, not willing to be seen  as  sex-object or as scripture would say’ a hint of sexual immorality’. They opt to flaunt the beauty of their character and intellect, rather than their skin. True to themselves, values and convictions, very little compromise, quite admirable.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”(Matthew 5:8,NIV). The message version reads, "You’re blessed when you get your inside world-your mind and heart-put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.” That’s one of the beatitudes, i really desire, that’s one I see embodied in islam, an adherence to values and convictions and thus remain pure. The downside of compromise is that it messes up your inside world. It darkens your conscience, corrupts your mind and heart. You flirt with sin, sin seduces you and you cheat on God till you no longer have the courage to share your love for God, for fear of being labelled a hypocrite,instead hiding it, choosing to keep your relationship with Christ under wraps or ‘chini ya maji.’

Only by striving to be pure, and avoiding compromise for the very same reason as participating in it, which is God’s grace, can I see God, love him and share him with others.

During this period of Ramadan, I will be praying for muslims, not just for the reasons cited above. It’s unfortunate that most muslims have been painted with a broad brush of being terrorists or  terrorist sympathizers. They are people just like us. They are people who also love, desire peace and holiness, to be better people and hence the fast. They are people whom Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for so that they may have eternal life provided they believe in him just like you and me have. My hope is that this Ramadhan will be a chance for them to encounter that loving God who died for them on the cross and that he gives them more of his peace as a result. Aside from admiring these qualities, I will pray for muslims and ask you, dear reader to do the same.


P.S. Daily prayer guides that can help you pray for muslims are available at www.30daysprayer.com

Under new management

Photo credit: www.managingamericans.com

Louis Van Gaal in, Jose Mourinho out, the collective sigh of relief can be heard all over the globe after the noise of jubilant Manutd supporters has died down. A record equalling FA Cup triumph was not enough to save the Dutchman’s job and in truth, it never looked like being. The writing had been on the wall for sometime. Fans had grown tired of the sterile football, the failure to challenge for the league, the profligate use of the 200 million transfer kitty amongst others. LVG had to be shown the exit door.

Step in, Jose Mourinho and it remains to be seen if he will suffer the same fate as his predecessor.  A lot of Manutd fans have wondered why this decision took an eternity to arrive. The embarrassing defeats and the ponderous football had fans crying out for a change. A lot of players are playing nowhere near to their potential so they must share in the blame. However, these players play under the manager’s instructions, thus he is culpable.  Why did the United hierarchy hold on to Van Gaal for so long when it was obvious that he would not fulfill the lofty expectations set of him?

I think God asks me a similar question. Why do I hold on to the throne of my life and watch as another sterile performance in life pans out? Why I am content with my managing yet it only produces mediocre results when if I let go to the rightful manager, Jesus, the vibrant, swashbuckling and fruitful performance will be there for all to see.

Jesus is the rightful LORD, or in this case, Manager. He is the de facto boss, the gaffer. When I persist in assuming his role , all I succeed in doing is floundering, floundering greatly under the guise of doing ok.

Like the United under Van Gaal, having more possession of the ball was considered domination. Forget that most of that possession was mostly sideways passing, ineffective and downright boring to watch. It was considered domination. Almost no attacking thrust, or penetration, Mostly it was just playing safe, not wanting to lose. I see close similarities with my philosophy.

All I succeed in doing is dominating possession, being easy on the eye with my cute triangles that don't lead to goals. I’m not addicted to the brown bottle. I’m not sexually active before marriage. I read the bible, pray, go to church every Sunday. I’m content with being in the conveyor belt of life moving from uni to a job to a marriage to kids till eventual death. I'm ok. I’m dominating. My life isn’t spiraling out of control, no losing.

Where’s the attacking thrust? Where’s the taking risks for Jesus and witnessing Christ in my life to others? Shouldn't I be counter-cultural or I've just blended in till no-one sees Jesus in me? Where’s the Isaiah altitude? "Here I am LORD send me!" I play it safe and sit perched in the sanctuary, instead saying, “ Someone else will do it.”

I’ll use the someone else line again when I see injustice all around me. I see inequality with the chasm  between the rich and the poor widening but I do nothing. I do nothing to uplift the poor or to alleviate their suffering. I see a world crying out for help but instead I just look away, shrug my shoulders, feel the sympathy but never the empathy. I guess I’m  the reason for Isaiah 59:15- “The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no –one, he was appalled there was no -one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him and his own righteousness sustained him.”

I pay no attention to Micah 6:8. Yes he has shown me what is good but do I act justly? Do I love mercy? Do I walk humbly with my God?

Sometimes I just take the route 1 long ball method of just going to church and doing nothing else, the route 1 way of keeping it simple,   refusing to take a stand for Jesus or the bible and just sit on the fence; not wanting to ruffle any feathers with my beliefs. Instead I keep it on the down low so that I don't hurt anybody.

This sterile way of living is not what God intended. “Attack...Attack...Attack, attack, attack is the cry of the united crowd, and it is also the cry of the saints who yearn for me to press on to get the ultimate prise of being like Jesus regardless of the cost. This requires me to let Jesus be the manger,  to follow his tactics which is his play book,  the bible. I ought to scrutinize scripture, read, re-read it, cover to cover, over and over; not just for inspiration or encouragement but for all round living for good times and bad.

I need to be the player who reflects my manager’s philosophy on the pitch because I have hidden his word in my heart like in Psalms 119: 11. I need to be a reflection of him on the pitch which is in the earth showcasing a loving heart for the lost, a desire to do God’s will above that of my own, a desire to reconcile others to God, and to make disciples, followers of Jesus.

I need to know my natural abilities like writing, my spiritual gifts like giving, my passions like for food, football, integrity and empowerment and avail them to the manager that he uses them in his formation of choice for his glory rather than just using them for myself and my glory.

“For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”(Philippians 2:21).That shouldn’t describe me, his interests should be my interests,  following his drills daily, I need to be praying, thanking him for who he is not just what he has done, confessing my faults to him and to others, praying not just for myself but for others sometimes even  fasting while doing it.

I need to be in fellowship with other believers in small groups so that we can encourage one another to do good as Hebrews 10:24-25 urges. Fellowship by not just going for a church service but beyond that, either in church, at a home, or another place where I congregate with believers and share testimonies of God’s goodness, scripture, my burdens or encouragement as I receive the same. Fellowship is what will bring me closer to God to reflect him to others.

I need to share him with others, share the gospel, and witness him to others that they may know him. Push will come to shove, and like Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9: 19-23, for the sake of the gospel, I will have to become many things. To the Jews, I become like a Jew, to those under the law, I become like one under the law, to those not having the law, I become like one not having the law, though I am under the law of Christ. To the weak, those struggling, I become weak and share my struggles of lust sometimes reaching bondage, domination masochism thoughts,  that through them they may see the power of the gospel, God’s gift of salvation and his sanctifying work fuelled by grace which rains down on me.

I know it has taken an eternity for me to give him control in my life but the only way to play well, attack with penetration so that I win is having him as my manager and essence my LORD. He teaches me what is best for me and directs me in the way I should go(Isaiah 48:17)I need to submit to him, lay down my crown, get off the hot seat and let him take his rightful place. Only then will I attack and not be content with playing safe, then will I win and live the abundant life that he desired for me.

He has made everything beautiful in its time

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There is nothing quite as joyful as salvaging a draw from the jaws of defeat, or snatching victory right at the death. The raw emotion that gushes out from players, fans and coaching staff as they celebrate tells you all you need to know. Football has had its fair share of late drama, with fate unravelling in such a way that even the best directors in Hollywood would struggle to script it any better.

Re-living the late twists through YouTube makes for compelling viewing. The hairs at the back of my neck always stand up whenever I watch Sergio Aguero sink that late winner against QPR to win the premier league title for Manchester City.  Even as a Manutd fan, Martin’s Tyler commentary of “Aguuerrrrooooo!!!” and subsequently seeing the diminutive Argentine wheel away in delight, being mobbed by fellow Mancity players is one of those moments that takes your breath away.

Manutd, were forced to settle for second place despite winning at Sunderland. Only a few minutes earlier and for much of the second half they were champions; then a Dzeko header, followed by Aguero's late intervention meant the trophy went to Mancity at United’s expense. It was painful and you could see the disappointment on the faces of the United players like Rooney and Jones as they trudged off the pitch in the realization that they had just lost the league in spectacular fashion.

This is not to say that Manutd haven’t dished out the same punishment to other teams leave alone Mancity. Solskjaer’s outstretched leg, which put the ball in the back of the net to land United the European cup against Bayern Munich is yet another moment of unparalleled drama. Sammy Kuffour beating the ground in frustration spoke volumes of Bayern Munich's anguish. Then there was Michael Owen’s late toe-poke against Manchester City in that enthralling 4-3 win or what of Robin Van Persie’s free-kick against the same opponents for a 3-2 victory.

Many people have been celebrating Leicester’s shocking premier league win but to get there, they first had to endure untold heartbreak in the play-offs for promotion. Awarded a late penalty in their decisive 2^nd  leg semi-final play-off against Watford, they missed it, plus the follow-up, only for Watford to break away on a counter attack, and score through Troy Deeney to reach the finals of the play-off at Leicester’s expense. A few weeks ago at the Emirates, Danny Welbeck sent the stadium into ruptures along with millions of Arsenal fans across the globe, when he headed in an injury time winner to condemn Leicester to a 2-1 defeat. Perharps then it was poetic justice that Leicester won the premier league after those two late heartbreaks.

These are just a few of the many dramatic games, many have ended in similar fashion. As much as people may claim the earlier the better, a victory that comes in the 90^th minute or 92^nd is just as sweet if not sweeter than one that was all but assured by half-time. The celebrations of the fans, players removing their jerseys are testament to that. However long or late it took to get it, it’s a victory nonetheless, a beautiful one, that is celebrated with much jubilation.

I often see life as a football game, goals being likened to goals or dreams I desire to achieve. When I hit a stalemate and don’t achieve them by my timeline, worry starts to creep in. When I see others all around me scoring their goals, making their dreams come true, it spells defeat for me. Things start to get desperate as it appears I'm running out of time to score those goals.

When will I get a job? When will I move out? It should have happened by now, my 10 year plan is in no way going according to plan! Another young couple post pictures of their engagement on Facebook , I like their pics, congratulate them,  then inadvertently bring my failings into sharp focus. When will I find my significant other? Will I find my significant other? Maybe I already did and let them go? Did I do enough to try have a relationship? The barrage of questions sends me into panic mode. Worry and anxiety sets in as my life is locked in a drab stalemate whereas friends and family seem to be hitting their goals with ease.

As a child of God, you turn to scripture, Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him  and he will make your paths straight.” Your remember Jeremiah 29:11- “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD. plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

The verses encourage but slowly fade away from memory the longer you fail to hit your targets. It gets harder when try as you might, you cannot score your goal. It’s as if life has parked the bus like Chelsea, Atléltico Madrid and Leicester City combined. You just can’t score.

You get that delay is not denial, but it seems hard to believe it. The clock ticks away to the 90 with no change in fortunes. Denial seems the more likely option. Then I stumbled upon a nugget of wisdom in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

It’s not only beautiful for a team that wins at the last minute but for you as well. God makes the graduation beautiful even if it comes 2 years after your class graduated. God makes the wedding beautiful for those marrying in their later thirties or forties or even fifties. He makes the thriving business beautiful after it had failed on numerous attempts. He makes the baby beautiful after that long  period of childlessness with the false dawns of miscarriages.

You may be forced to wait, endure agony and moments of despair but when God’s timing comes into play, the bitterness, all the waiting is forgotten and the beauty of the goal scored is celebrated.

Did David whine to God that he should have been king earlier? Did Abraham blast God for not giving him Isaac sooner? Did Joseph miss out on a high position or a wife because he was wasting away in Prison missing out on invaluable job experience?

The answer is no. God made David king the time he did, and despite having to wait for long to ascend to the throne, the waiting didn’t reduce David’s capacity to lead. Matter of fact, he led very well and left a legacy for other kings of Israel or Judah to follow. God gave Isaac to Abraham at 100 years and not 75 or 76, it didn’t change the fact that Abraham had descendants as numerous as the stars. God eventually got Joseph out of jail and he was soon second in command in Egypt with a wife and children in the form of Manasseh and Ephraim whom Jacob blessed.

It can seem frustrating when you’re trusting God to help you score goals but try as you might, the net refuses to bulge. Like the jubilation witnessed when a team scores late in the 90, God makes everything beautiful in its time whether it comes in the 70^th, 83^rd or 94^th minute of your life. It may seem that you are stagnating while others get ahead but in time, you will score and it will be beautiful because God made it so.