Iranians in Diaspora #3
Surprised by God
Submitted by Elaine Vaden
The Antioch Partners
If I’ve heard anything over the past few days of our visits with Iranian believers, it is that God is full of surprises. Not only does God surprise us as believers with great mercy, hope, healing and joy – God may visit us before we have encountered the good news of the Gospel, may enter our dark circumstances and shine His light of grace. These amazing people have encountered the God of surprises. For security reasons we cannot share names and pictures. I have chosen one picture to post that symbolizes the power of showing up to hear their stories and weep with them. There is magnificent power in such moments.
“A” has been following Jesus for ten years. She comes from a very religious Muslim family and endeavored to keep the rules of Islam, to the point that she accepted the path of ISIS as she believed that killing infidels would be rewarded with direct entrance to heaven.
But she was lonely and troubled and often prayed during the night, calling out to Allah. During those night hours, she turned on a Christian TV program and heard an Iranian pastor say that God’s plan was for one man, one woman in marriage. That was a strange message in a world where men were encouraged to have many wives and fidelity in marriage was never encouraged.
On another day, in the sauna at the gym, someone promised to pray for her. Without the head covering dictated by Islam, she felt an openness to the God who kept showing up. Sometime later, after receiving and reading the Bible, she began to attend a house church and became a believer.
The next chapter wasn’t easy. Her husband divorced her and took her children. Through this incredibly painful time, she grew in faith and came to forgive him and his new wife. She says she understands that praying for one’s enemies gives the grace to forgive.
“E”, believed that the God of Islam was true, having read the Koran numerous times. But she began to doubt that God existed and so it was easy for her to reject the first Christian witness she received. But God kept showing up – in her dreams as she heard the call to worship (something she didn’t understand at the time), as she heard the message again through the Alpha course, and through artists’ depictions of the Biblical story. When asked how the gospel changed her life, she said she no longer tells “white lies,” a common practice in a shame-based culture. “E” now serves with great joy and energy.
“M” became a believer in Iran while in university and was immediately recognized as a leader. His leadership caught the attention of the government, and he was imprisoned for 8 months, spending 66 days in solitary confinement. God showed up in the prison and four fellow prisoners came to faith. After his release, he continued to be monitored by the government, so he left Iran and came to Germany. M. has done extensive biblical and theological training and is seeking to fulfill his vision to develop leaders among the Iranian diaspora.
These beautiful people surprised me with their joy, their witness, and commitment to Christ and His cause. But then, our God continues to work, in unexpected ways and places.