“It’s just a small difference..” she said as we sat together on her couch after sharing a meal and hours of conversation. “We believe in Isa, but as a prophet- we don’t believe that He is God or God’s son.”
My heart broke as she trailed off comparing the differences between our two religions through her veiled interpretation. Explaining away the small difference that is in fact my very source of life. The small difference that changes everything; that gave all of humanity a path to be reconciled with God in such a way that brings fulfillment and life not only in this earthly life but also after death. This difference that she noted as small and insignificant is actually the most significant event to ever occur in all of history.
This past month in Northern Africa was the first time (of many to come) that I have been surrounded by people of another religion. This was a new experience for me as all of my previous travels have been to countries where Christianity or Catholicism were the prevalent religions and the area in which I grew up was not very diverse. My eyes and heart were opened throughout this month as I made friends and formed true connections with so many N. Africans. It was incredible how quickly our conversations would turn to spiritual discussions as they would share with me the five pillars of their religion and in turn I could share about my own. I stood amazed time and time again at the ease in which sharing the gospel became. The people here are saturated with religion and religious traditions but are starving for true relationship with their Father. And although I may not have experienced any conversions, I have to believe that the seeds that I planted and the seeds that I helped to water will continue to develop and won’t return void. As they listened and asked questions while I described a personal relationship that they too can have with God that wasn’t based on performance or being *good* enough but was intimate and personal in such a way that He sent His own Son into the world to live a perfect life and be crucified as our sacrifice once and for all. And that this sacrifice and the following resurrection erased all of the sins we’ve ever committed or will commit and created a way that we can have complete assurance and hope in what is to come. That through this relationship we can live life to the fullest and not live in fear of the unknown that is death. We don’t have to keep a mental tally in hopes that our good deeds will someday outweigh the bad. We can stop striving to be good enough and just be loved and live out love to others. This type of God is a foreign concept for my new friends. This type of relationship changes everything.
Jesus isn’t a small difference. He isn’t just another religious figure or another prophet who came to model a way of living and a method of teaching for His followers. Jesus came to serve. He came to redeem. Jesus came to take my place and to pay my penalty. Jesus came into the world as a baby born to a virgin mother. He lived a perfect life, was crucified on a cross and buried in a tomb, and three days later rose again. He ascended to the right hand of God where He is now, waiting until given the sign to come back to establish His kingdom through a new heaven and a new earth. A kingdom where we can live and rule with Him forever.
You, too, can have a place in this Kingdom. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
It isn’t a small difference. It’s the single most important decision you can ever make. If you haven’t made this decision and would like to, feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have.
And for those of you that have:
**Please continue to pray for my friends here in Northern Africa. Pray for the harvest and for the workers here. Pray for religious freedoms to be established. Pray for the King. Pray for the bold and the believers. Pray for visions and dreams. Pray for the searching and the seeking. Pray for answers and revelations and for God’s work to continue to be done here.**
