How To Make A Baby’s Birth A New Beginning

Even fully clothed, she weighs less than any baby doll in my granddaughters room.  Her head is not any larger than my fist and it is covered in thick, dark woolly hair. As I gaze into her expression-filled eyes, my tears run unhindered down my cheeks like spring rain in the dessert.  It is a wonder to hold a newborn baby and I see both the majesty and tenderness of the Living Lord who in His mercy came to earth to lavish each precious life with His never-ending love.

Hundreds of years ago, Arab traders brought Islam to the coast of East Africa. Each year, while they waited for the trade winds to blow them back to the Arabian Peninsula, they took wives, had children and developed a new language and people group known today as the Swahili-Speaking Arabs. This group of 500,000 people is found today along the coasts of Kenya, Tanzania, throughout the Arabian Peninsula, and in most metropolitan hubs around the world. With strong cultural, family, business ties back to the Arabian Peninsula, and travel in their blood, they have the ability to move and impact people that they come in contact with.

I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don’t you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land. (Isaiah 43:19)

As we prepare to leave, we pray a blessing over this little wee-one. This birth is the beginning of something new, something special: she is the first child born to an openly professing parent, the first child who – from birth – will realize that each person has a choice to make about following Jesus.

“When sins are forgiven, there is no longer any need to sacrifice for sins. Brothers and sisters, because of the blood of Jesus we can now confidently go into the holy place. Jesus has opened a new and living way for us to go through the curtain. (The curtain is his own body.) We have a superior priest in charge of God’s house. We have been sprinkled with His blood to free us from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with clean water. So we must continue to come to Him with a sincere heart and strong faith”                         (Hebrews 10: 18-22).

“Throughout this month, please pray for Muslims, asking God to give them saving grace through faith in Jesus. As they vigorously strive to please Allah while feeling a sense of pride, unity, and zeal, pray that God will unveil their eyes to see Jesus for who He truly is – the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Pray that Followers of Jesus (Isa al Masih) all over the world will love Muslims well as they pray for and relate with those participating in Ramadan.”                                                          (Jonathan L., Secret Church Blog)

• Please pray that she, along with her brothers and sisters, and father will see how their mother is different because she follows Jesus.
• Please ask God to call each of her family members to become part of God’s kingdom
• Just as in the days of Pentecost, ask for the children to prophesy, the young to have visions and the old to dream dreams of God that will lead them to Jesus for rescue.
• Dozens of Swahili-Speaking Arabs Followers are scattered, many living out their faith in secret. The enemy has worked hard to keep them apart and isolated. And yet our God is stronger still! Pray for unity and community growth among Followers.
• For more information and directed ways to pray during Ramadan go to: http://30daysprayer.com/
• Day One of Ramadan