Rafi told me that he had been brought up to hate Christians. He belonged to an Arab family in Algeria and was taught from an early age that being a Muslim was part of his identity.
“But when I learned about Jesus in the Qur’an, I liked Him. I thought if God gave me a choice, I would follow Jesus. He is not a man of war.”
Rafi began listening to Christian radio and learned more about God’s plan of salvation through the advent of Jesus Christ. He is now actively committed to reconciling Algerian Arabs and Jesus followers.
Friends and family influence most of us. I had a Christian mother and a Jewish father who forced me to make my own decision about Jesus. Was Christmas just an excuse for a holiday, or was it really the birthday of the King of kings?
The wise men in the Christmas story also had questions. But when they met Jesus, they were so convinced of His identity as the Son of God that they gladly worshipped Him. Then they determined to safeguard the child’s whereabouts and took another route home.
My quest ended when I let God reveal His Son through His Word. Looking into Jesus’ face, I saw the trajectory of my life change forever.
Don’t let others determine what you believe. Make known whom you follow. And if you haven’t followed Jesus, consider the One who claims to be “the way, the truth, and the life.” You won’t be disappointed.
Deborah Meroff served as a missionary writer and photographer for thirty years. While based in London, she was privileged to visit 115 countries and publish scores of articles and a dozen books in various languages. She now resides in Maine, USA.