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As I levered out a killer piece of concrete from the yard, I felt rising gratitude for simple machines. You know:  wheels, pulleys, levers, inclined planes, wedges and screws. And more gratefulness when a lever and wheel combo, in the form of a dolly, let me move heavy boxes of cabinets parts from the garage to the house where my rock star wife assembled them! Simple, elegant, essential. (Both the machines and the wife!)

Kind of like prayer. Uncomplicated, powerful, effective.

Have you ever prayed for a Muslim? Put your hand on her shoulder and asked an all powerful God to help her with her problems, ease her pain, comfort her fear? I have, but much less than I may’ve. One of the best ways to love Muslims like Jesus does is to pray for them. [tweet this] 

Personal experience, and confirmation from others, says most Muslims are happy to have a Christian pray for them. Many believe that Jesus healed the sick, drove out demons and raised the dead. And who among us, Muslim or Christian, couldn’t use some of that occasionally?!

If in-person, out-loud prayer pushes you too much right now, no worries. Start praying with this in the privacy of your home and build capacity.

When you do pray for a Muslim, aim to bless them. When it’s appropriate (And it is more often than we think!), simply ask, “Can I pray for you now?” Pray Jesus-centered prayers, listen for the Holy Spirit’s leading, and realize we share a common humility before an all-powerful God. [tweet this] 

As we celebrate Easter, remember, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.” Let that reality encourage our hearts and empower our prayers.

Most of us are pretty much normal, right? I figure I am and assume you are. Yesterday I met a guy who definitely wasn’t normal. Not abnormal like he can whistle out his ear or throw a baseball with his foot. Rather he’s a middle-aged Israeli-American, born in the homeland, raised in New York City, of a Jewish mom and an Catholic Arab dad. His name is Isa and he works at an MCL Cafeteria in suburban Ohio! His life could be five legit short stories and a made-for-tv movie! On top of all this he is warm and friendly. You know, in an Jewish-Israeli-Arab-Catholic-Bronx Midwest way!

As you might guess, Isa’s religious outlook rings with, “Why can’t we all just get along?” (I imagine Eastorkippor being celebrated in his house!)

Issues ancient and complex often keep Muslims and Christians from “just getting along.” But this week can I remind you of something about which we agree: Jesus is alive. [click to tweet]

In the midst of all the things that separate us: theology, culture, language, fear, issues both real and fabricated, we find common ground in the conviction that Jesus lives. I love that. Over half the planet thinks Jesus is alive. Muslims and Christians are not completely at odds with one another.

Since the Quran teaches that Jesus didn’t die, our Muslim friends likely won’t join us this Easter in declaring, “Jesus is risen. He is risen indeed!” Even so we do have a common place from which to begin conversations about Jesus. And I figure the more normal it is for us to talk about Jesus, the more he gets talked about. And hopefully, the more he gets talked about, the more he gets loved and followed.

Quick idea: Would this work in your bulletin or church newsletter this Easter? Please pass it along to the appropriate person!

Looking forward to Easter? If you love Jesus (or chocolate) there’s hardly a bigger day. I’d like to throw a wrench in your plans, though. If you don’t want that, now’s a good time to retreat to a tray of Peeps. There’ll be no shame. (Well, unless you eat the whole package!)

If you’re still here, I’d like to tentatively suggest you chew over the possibility of maybe considering perhaps contemplating asking a Muslim family to share Easter Dinner with you. Are you game? (Tweet this)

Reasons

This is our best holiday. Easter marks a central reality of our faith. It provides a wonderful opportunity to offer hospitality and talk about Jesus. Finally, it’s just a couple weeks away and you can do this.

Roadblocks

I don’t know any Muslims. Go to International Students Incorporated, click your state and email the nearest worker. (Alternatively, ask God for a Muslim friend by Memorial Day! Or email me for help.)

I don’t know what to cook. Trade lamb for ham and don’t serve wine. To be super careful, check zabihah.com for the nearest halal grocery. If your food’s from a place like that, it’s cool for most Muslims to eat.

I don’t know what to do? Eat and talk. (Persevere through the awkwardness.) Read the resurrection story together. Hunt for eggs! Everyone loves hunting eggs!

I think they won’t come. Some won’t, but my friend Umar says, “I would graciously accept the invitation and encourage my kids to participate in the egg hunt and other traditions. I would use this opportunity to teach them about the importance of building bridges and making friends with our neighbors. . .”

This could deepen and enrich your Easter celebration. Let me know what you think.

You expect the headlines, maybe even dread them, but still it’s a shock: Four dead in terrorist attack in London. The perpetrator, yes. But also a policeman, a mom picking up her kids and a husband from Utah. Dozens injured and thousands whose lives have been permanently marked.

What do we do? How should we feel? Does either really matter?

The mantra for this email, and increasingly my life, is think like God thinks and love like Jesus does. In Matthew 14 we see Jesus get hammered with the similarly crushing news of his cousin’s murder by the terrorist Herod. What did he think and do?

“When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. . . . When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”

Jesus headed to the hills. Often when Jesus “got away” it was to pray, to reflect and hang out with the Father. I wonder if maybe to also ask why.

But then the crowds crashed the retreat. Matthew says Jesus had compassion on them, he healed the sick, he fed them. I think we’re safe guessing he also told them some cool stories. Basically he got on with the work of God’s kingdom.

I’m not saying this is the correct, complete response for everyone. It neither erases anger nor eliminates confusion, but it’s not a bad place to start. Get some time to pray. Pour out your heart to the father, the good, the bad and the ugly. (In case that doesn’t just describe my heart!) Then see the crowds and wade in. Heal the sick. Feed the hungry. Tell the stories of Jesus to whoever will slow down for a minute and listen. [Tweet this]

There’s a barn near our house that local kids say is haunted. “When you step inside, you can feel the temperature drop!” I know. Spare the logic. It will do you no good! There is such mystery about the place, even with sun-to-shade realities being what they are, the reputation is hard to shake. Similar mystery also swirls around others’ places of worship.

Have you ever visited a mosque? If so, good for you. If not, it’s a good idea. A Christian isn’t cheating on Jesus by visiting a mosque.  In fact, it will probably make you a better Christian. (Tweet this.) Both Jesus’s words and his example encourage us to connect with people we tend to view as outsiders.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Call ahead: Mosques aren’t always open and the leaders may prefer visitors at specific times. Go Friday mid-day, and it will be the busiest. But you’ll also get to (have to?) sit through a sermon!
2. Go with friends: Pre-arranging with some buds will push you to actually go when the time arrives! Be aware, women should take a scarf and may be directed to their own place.
3. Sock foresight: You’ll be asked to take off your shoes. This will feel weird, but it’s ok. And no one will steal them. (Unless you go to this guy’s mosque!)
4. Kind and curious: Aim for a learner posture. Think of your visit as a class, not a crusade. Ask good questions. Sit in the back during prayer. Observe and pray.
5. Expect to connect: Ask God to lead you to people who might be up for coffee and further conversation.
   

Feel free to email me if you want to visit a mosque, but have more questions. (shanedar@gmail.com)

This week’s Muslim Connect comes from Catania, Sicily where I’m spending the week learning more about the refugee crisis, meeting fascinating people from all over the world and dreaming with some church friends from America about working here.

I want to share the super-abbreviated, but still gut-wrenching story one of our new Muslim friends told about his journey to Catania:

“I left Libya in a very small boat. The traffickers had packed 150 people onto it. After two days at sea, we were getting weak from our time in the boat when a nasty storm came up. During the long, stormy night, we lost more than half of our fellow passengers. We all thought we were going to die and everyone called out to God, asking him to save us.”

“When the storm finally calmed, we were shaken, pretty badly broken. We rationed our food and water, but they ran out. We remained at sea for two more days with nothing to eat or drink. We were adrift and people were dying all around me. When the Italian coast guard finally rescued us, only fifteen people remained alive in my boat.”

Can you even begin to comprehend what it must be like to witness 90% of the people who start a journey with you die before your eyes? I can’t, but I want to look Ibrahim and Sai-eed, Konay and Lamin in the eye and say, “You matter. You are not forgotten. You are a delight. God saved you. He loves you. He has great dreams for your life.”

It had been a long weekend of speaking and I was wiped. So when the guy caught me in the aisle on Sunday evening to say, “I’m praying for you guys,” I was genuinely grateful. But he went on to say, “I’m praying for you because what you’re doing is really dangerous, you know, because the Muslims want to take over the world, destroy America and kill all the Christians. And even when they’re nice, it’s because they’re allowed to deceive infidels, so that’s what they’re doing. . .”

He talked so long my half-righteous anger swelled and then had time to subside. When he drew a breath, I was ready, “This stuff you’ve been telling me, do you find it to be true of your Muslim friends?”

“I, uh, don’t have any Muslim friends.” I would have bet the rent. 

A single friend neither proves nor disproves a statistic, a trend, or a political narrative. But it does provide a living, breathing data point. It puts a face on facts, both real and presumed. 

If you don’t have a Muslim friend, now’s the time to get one. Jon Huckins, in Relevant Magazine says making Muslim friends will, among other things, help cure our fear, expand our worldview, and build relational understanding. I might add, there may also be baklava! 

Next week I’ll give you five sure fire ways to start a conversation with a Muslim. Want to jump in right away? Here’s the one I used this morning, “How old’s your baby?” Killer, eh? You never would have thought of that, would you? Of course you would! You ask it all the time, just maybe not of Muslims. It works. She’s 18 months old. They’re from the Congo. Possibly the first people I’ve ever spoken to from the Congo.