I
am writing to share with you the story of “The Littlest giant. Are you wondering
what this must be? Well, read on! And if
you can find the patience and time to read the whole thing, I think you will
not be disappointed.
You will find out this is a true story of how God is lovingly touching
and changing people’s lives today, just as he always has, and always will.
“The
Littlest Giant”
“The
littlest giant” was born in a country were the religion has been Islam (Muslim)
for hundreds of years. He grew up
listening to the call to prayer from the mosques around the city five times a
day and hearing about fasting for Ramadan and about the prophet Mohamed. Yes
indeed he grew up in a country were Jesus was hardly known, in fact he had
never heard of Jesus as a savior. His family and friends were mostly Muslim:
his grandmother a devoted Muslim was faithful to prayer five times a day. His
mother is a modern and open minded Muslim woman who is not afraid to search for
God wherever He may be. And his father had a new age tendency and did not want
to categorize himself into any religion, rather he simply believed in one all
powerful God.
.
“The littlest giant” grew up without knowing Jesus and like
his father he did not chose any particular religion – he simply believed in
GOD. He did not know it yet, but Jesus
had his name written in the palm of His hand.
Jesus knew him since he was in his mothers womb and he had great plans
for him.
“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and
they follow me. I give them eternal
life, and they shall never perish. No
one can take them out of my hand. My
father who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them
out of the Father’s hand. The father and
I are one.” Jesus in John 10 (27-30)
“Everything that the father gives me will
come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me...”Jesus in John 6
(37)
At the
right time Jesus would call “the littlest giant” to follow Him. Like the
Bible says: when Jesus, the good shepherd, calls his sheep all His sheep
recognize His voice. Each sheep may be called at a different time, but when
they hear His voice they recognize their shepherd and happily come to Him. All
are called by the gentile voice of Jesus, even those in other herds will come to
Him.
“I am the good shepherd, and I know mine
and mine know me…”Jesus in John 10(14)
“I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will
hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.” John 10(16)
Jesus
started calling “the littlest giant” more or less when “the littlest giant” was
21 years old. As “the littlest giant” heard His voice he started drawing close to
him Him. Yes little by little coming closer to Jesus, attracted slowly, like a
little bunny to a carrot in someone’s hand - cautious, gently and slowly but without
being able to resist.
“And this is the will
of the one who sent me that I should not lose anything of what He gave me, but
that I should raise it in the last day.
For this is the will of my Father that everyone who sees the son and
believes in Him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” Jesus in John (39-40)
Each time, “the littlest giant” heard Jesus's voice more clearly, calling him louder.
As the years went by “the littlest giant” started to seek Him and know
Him better and better. At first as he drew closer, a thousand questions
inundated his mind. As time went on, he
became a bit confused. But slowly as
the years went by, he allowed himself to be taken by the hand and directed by
the delicate words of the Lord. Yes he surrendered to the gentle guidance of
Jesus. “The littlest giant” now deeply believed in His word, but he was not
yet able to call himself a Christian. He was hesitant to categorize himself
into a specific religion. He was afraid
of opening up to his family and friends publicly acknowledging that he loved
Jesus Christ. Would they get angry? Would he lose his friends? Would he be made fun of?
But
the voice of Jesus called louder and more intensely, the “littlest giant” asked
Jesus to guide him from within. Yes, instead of trying to find Jesus
through his own effort, he decided to invite Jesus to come live in his heart so that Jesus would guide him from the depths of
his heart, from the deepest part of his being.
Jesus always comes when we invite Him – always – without exception. The “littlest giant” could
feel His presence now, he felt His peace inside his own heart. His love
surrounded him, he felt a joy that only Jesus can give.
“Whoever believes in me, as scripture
says:
‘Rivers of living water will flow from
within him’ Jesus in John
7 (38)
And
so his faith began to grow. Now, all
the questions he had, did not need an answer any more. Some of them were answered by Jesus, others
he just set aside. It was no longer
necessary for him to find all the answers.
No because he felt peace, now he could feel His presence, and His presence satisfied
the hunger and the thirst he had felt before.
“The littlest giant” could no longer hold back the desire he had to
share the gift Jesus is. To share the joy He brings into our life
when we welcome Him into our heart and get to know Him.
“Everyone who acknowledges me before
others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will
deny before my heavenly father.”
Jesus in Matthew 10 (32)
“The littlest Giant” understood that there was no
sense in having Jesus in his life if he was not going to share such happiness.
Therefore the overpowering desire to share with everyone continued to grow
within him, he was simply not able to contain it. In spite of the fear that he had initially felt about telling his Muslim family and friends, “the littlest giant” shared with
everyone that he could the great blessing that that it is to get to know and to
get filled with the love of Jesus. Some
people criticized him, others failed to understand him, but he felt from the
deepest place in his heart, that he had done what Jesus wanted him to do. He
had recognized and acknowledged his love for Jesus without fearing the
consequences. His love for Jesus had
become so big, that it was impossible to contain it, impossible not to share
the good news.
“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice
but rather
of power and love and self-control.” Paul in 2 Tim 1 (7)
of power and love and self-control.” Paul in 2 Tim 1 (7)
Stay tuned tomorrow I post "The Littlest Giant" Part 2
