My Personal Reflection from Seeking
Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi.
Johny Laldinthar F.Tusing,
1st May, 2019.
In 2014, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus was
first released, the enlarged edition came in 19 May, 2016. The 3rd Edition, now expanded with bonus content and reflection was released on August 21, 2018.
Seeking
Allah, Finding Jesus is
engaging and thought-provoking book which tells a powerful story of the
clash between Islam and Christianity in one man’s heart--and of the peace he
eventually found in Jesus. Seeking Allah, Finding
Jesus is the New York Times bestselling and the only book ever to win Christian
Book Awards for both “Best New Author” and “Best Non-Fiction” in 2016.
I got the Kindle version in 2017 and sealed
it almost two years without opening it. With an excuse of the workload from the
Seminary, the so-called, presentation, various assignments, and exam fever, I
ignore it with a pretext, not to waste my time. Ironically, as the mercury soars
this summer 2019, to battle the excruciating heat and to beat the heatwave, I
open my Tab to spent time meaningfully to toil and sweats under the scorching
heat of this gigantic climate change. I decided to read Lee Strobel's works and
switch my mind to Gary Habermas and then to Max Lucado. Then, finally to Nabeel
Qureshi to pay a tribute to him for his great commitment and risk
everything for Christ sake with his NYT bestselling book- Seeking Allah, Finding
Jesus: A devout Muslim's Journey to Christ. Following a year-long battle with stomach cancer, Heaven
welcomed Nabeel home on September 16, 2017. But his living testimony is
speaking to us afresh till today and his
lightning-bright legacy will live on.
I am grateful that, I could finish this book within
four days cover to cover. It edifies my commitment to Jesus. It strengthens me
to carry the Cross in a higher level. It soothes my soul and enriched me to
savored difficulties and storms that struck my ways. Regardless of what pathway of faith that you
follow, read this book, you'll benefit deeply. It is a 'must-read book' to
discover a truth beneath our skepticism. It is a book that speaks volumes of life
transformation with a new life. A living word of God will resonate a raw nerve
and reveal the truth if you deeply ponder.
Synergistically, the book exhibits the very
essence of God and vivifying it. To those who argue that Bible is rife with
scientific errors while Quran stands in contradistinction as miraculously
precocious and flawless. This book is an eye-opener for other faith to know the
truth specifically to scrutinize the keystone of Islamic Faith and the bastion
of Muslim confidence.
Flipping through the pages you will discover
what is all about Jesus and his message and the truth that reveals in the
Bible.
The cost for Hindus, Muslim,s and other faith
to accept the Gospel (Jesus Christ) can be tremendous. It would be ostracized
from the communitarian life, sacrificing the friendships and social connection
built from childhood and costlier than this may be a rejection and abandonment
from one's parents, siblings, spouse and children. In addition to these, reeling
from an emotional violent expulsion from different arrays of people. The
decision to follow Jesus would shame the family members with incredible dishonor.
in this game of great perplexity, flipped through the first page till the end.
Implored Jesus to reveal and show His truth
and he will definitely guide you to follow the right path. How many hurdles are
in the way, how many pits you must jump over or climb out of, or how many thorns
you must steps through, Jesus will light the path.
You may calculate the cost, risk everything
to embrace cross it will give you eternal life. Willing to crucified next to
Jesus will soothe your soul and enrich your mind and you will enter the narrow
door- the door for salvation and live forever. Friends, before the owner of
the house, come to close the door enter the narrow door, and accept the
invitation. The owner had not yet come to close the door at this grace period (periodos
charitos) be receptive and respond it positively.
God reveals Himself in different forms. In
the Bible, God spoke to certain men through dreams like Joseph who interpret
symbolic dreams to rescued him from prison. To Nabeel, God had given him a dream,
a crystal message and he deciphers his dream miraculously using Islamic dream
Interpreter Ibn Sirin in a very precise way. God may use your own problems,
your skepticism, and doubt, the very faith that you cherish to open your eyes
to see clearly Who Jesus is. Like Nabeel, God might speak to you to transform
your lives and become a new person. Think about it and scan your thought, mind , and soul to be touch by Jesus Christ.
The opposing forces, the uncertainty and
potential costs might paralyze you, but keep the faith and pressed on to reckon
the Gospel (The Good News of Jesus Christ).
God is unbelievably gracious to all. He
wanted all nations (ethne) to be saved and be saved. Someone said 'a stair
leading out of a mosque' lead Nabeel to suffer cancer and died as a bad omen for
blaspheming to Allah or a Shirk which is an unforgivable sin in Islam. That’s not the case.
Jesus healed Nabeel from eternal damnation in hell which is more dangerous than
cancer. He is healed forever in glory and Nabeel is alive forever with Him in
glory. Healing our Spiritual sickness is far more important than healing our
physical illness or diseases. Apostle Paul said, ‘The last enemy to be
destroyed is death” and Nabeel served Christ who has conquered that enemy and
he will live forever in Glory.
Please read Chapter 51 with an open heart
with great passion to seek and find Jesus. Nabeel beautifully painted his last
loving and intimate moments, how he savored each bittersweet happiness,
relished each millisecond of every embrace that bound them but to Mourn for
the sake of Christ. This chapter is a gigantic moment to harness the truth
about the Bible: the electrifying and dynamite message to believe and a fountain of
life. Bible will be your lifeline and will captivate you by this newfound
glory. My tears rolled down when I began reeling off the emotion and
unconceivable pain Nabeel portrayed in a melancholic way to leave his household
and turn against his mom and dad. To take up the Cross and follow Jesus and
suffer for His sake. Nabeel chooses rather endure ill-treatment with Jesus than to enjoy the passing pleasures of his family (kins). He boldly committed
his life and dedicated to Jesus on August 24, 2005, at three o'clock in the
morning even to face emotional torment and even to be in the hands of a Muslim
Zealot. With a motto 'to lose one's life for Christ's sake' held high, he
submitted his life to Jesus Christ. He finally proclaimed the truth of the
gospel. Christ has rebooting him. We need to installed the truth and the word
that never changed in our lives. We need to reboot our life to have a better
life no matter what circumstance comes ahead. The tears, the sobs, and the
fears everything should be frozen and then be melted before Christ. Then, we
will be able to see the potential of the world with new light and new hope. We
need to removed and taken off the colored glasses and look with the new glass
or lens about the power of the Gospel.
The Epilogue is a must-read section to edify
and enrich your faith. From Nabeel's Testimony during his unimaginative time of
becoming a Christian. I quote " The suffering is what transformed me into
a true follower of Jesus...All Suffering is worth it to follow Jesus."
He suffers for Christ sake and his short
(life) ministries transformed a plethora of atheists, other faith, skeptics and
become faithful ambassador of Christ. He outnumbered the longest life of
many people and dies a heroic death and went to be with his master Jesus Christ
in eternity where cancer cannot touch him no more.
AMEN.
Get a copy of this book
.jpg)
.jpg)
