I was blind, but now I see (at least a little more clearly!)
Ezekiel 13:17-21 Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them and say, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? You have profaned Me among My people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to My people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.”
“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people you ensnare like birds. I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
I read the following article and remembered Who it is we serve — a God of love Who is in the business of saving the lost. Praising Him for His love and mercy!!!!
http://cnsnews.com/commentary/eric-metaxas/rest-muslim-refugee-story-muslims-meet-jesus-thousands
I thought about veils….. they are intended to create “mystery” and to cover up the true identity of the person who is behind the veil. They also (for some of us) create fear — as the person behind the veil is unknowable and unpredictable — their countenance is hidden so that their motives are obscured. I have wrestled with fear when I have been around Muslim women in bourkas. For me, because I could not see the woman behind the bourka, I became afraid – afraid and unwilling to reach out with a hand of welcome or relationship.
I praise You Lord that You have shown me something different than the lie that I was believing and the fear that was blinding me to the reality that these women and people are potentially Yours. Praise You that You see beyond their veils and that You reach out Your hand to rescue and remove the veil so that the woman behind it might be known.
Praise You that You are rescuing the Muslims — that You are the God of the impossible! That You aren’t limited by my/our human frailty and fear, and that You rescue those whom we see as beyond hope. Praise the Sovereign Lord, Creator of all things and everyone!!!!!!