Hesham Shehab is the pastor of Salam Christian Fellowship and works as a missionary-at-large to Muslims in the Illinois District of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. He wasn’t always a Christian. How he became one is an example of the power of the Gospel to bring people to faith in Jesus, and also an example of the effect that love can have on a human life. Rev. Shehab shares in story in these words (from the website http://salamchristianfellowship.org/author/hicham/):
“Hicham [pronounced HESHAAM] grew up in a world of bitter animosity between Muslims and Christians, which he experienced personally in a physical attack when only about 7. By age 13 he was recruited by an extremist Muslim group and later fought against Christians in the 1975 war in Lebanon. He was preparing to become a Muslim Preacher (Imam) when a car accident laid him up for a year. In 1980, in his first semester in college, his brother was killed by Christian militia. Hicham's response was to study by day, and by night take out his revenge in attacks on Christians. However, hearing the Sermon on the Mount, in a course of cultural studies (in college), brought him to faith. Later, Hicham earned an M.A. in the history of the Arabs and did Ph.D studies in the history of Islam. Hicham finished his pastoral education at Concordia, Fort Wayne, IN, and is currently in the Ph. D program there. Presently, Hicham, and ordained LCMS minister, pastors Salam Christian Fellowship and works as a missionary to the Muslims with the Lutheran Church in Illinois.”
Hesham has said that it was especially Jesus’s words in Matthew 5:44 that effected him the most -- “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Pastor Shehab says that this passage struck him hard because it was not a message that he had ever heard in Islam. The idea of loving one’s enemies instead of hating them, of praying for those who persecute you instead of seeking revenge on them was a radical idea to him. It got him thinking and pondering, and eventually led him to seek out more information about Jesus. Now Hesham is a Christian pastor and missionary. God does indeed work in mysterious ways!
At the heart of Hesham’s experience is an encounter with the radical love of God in Jesus Christ. When Jesus says to love our enemies he is telling us to relate to others in the same way that He does -- not in judgment, spite, retaliation, or hatred, but in love, forgiveness, patience, and prayer.
Such love is impossible for us to achieve under our own steam, but with God all things are possible. Paul explains to us in very practical terms what the nature of divine love is. He is describing first and foremost how God has loved us in Jesus, and then encouraging us to seek after a life that loves people in this same way by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. Jesus said that the world would know that we are his disciples because of our love -- for each other, but also even for our enemies.
Week 19 (Monday), Reading 91: The Most Excellent Way -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Click here for today’s reading: https://www.biblestudytools.com/1-corinthians/13.html
Hesham Shehab is the pastor of Salam Christian Fellowship and works as a missionary-at-large to Muslims in the Illinois District of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. He wasn’t always a Christian. How he became one is an example of the power of the Gospel to bring people to faith in Jesus, and also an example of the effect that love can have on a human life. Rev. Shehab shares in story in these words (from the website http://salamchristianfellowship.org/author/hicham/):
“Hicham [pronounced HESHAAM] grew up in a world of bitter animosity between Muslims and Christians, which he experienced personally in a physical attack when only about 7. By age 13 he was recruited by an extremist Muslim group and later fought against Christians in the 1975 war in Lebanon. He was preparing to become a Muslim Preacher (Imam) when a car accident laid him up for a year. In 1980, in his first semester in college, his brother was killed by Christian militia. Hicham's response was to study by day, and by night take out his revenge in attacks on Christians. However, hearing the Sermon on the Mount, in a course of cultural studies (in college), brought him to faith. Later, Hicham earned an M.A. in the history of the Arabs and did Ph.D studies in the history of Islam. Hicham finished his pastoral education at Concordia, Fort Wayne, IN, and is currently in the Ph. D program there. Presently, Hicham, and ordained LCMS minister, pastors Salam Christian Fellowship and works as a missionary to the Muslims with the Lutheran Church in Illinois.”
Hesham has said that it was especially Jesus’s words in Matthew 5:44 that effected him the most -- “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Pastor Shehab says that this passage struck him hard because it was not a message that he had ever heard in Islam. The idea of loving one’s enemies instead of hating them, of praying for those who persecute you instead of seeking revenge on them was a radical idea to him. It got him thinking and pondering, and eventually led him to seek out more information about Jesus. Now Hesham is a Christian pastor and missionary. God does indeed work in mysterious ways!
At the heart of Hesham’s experience is an encounter with the radical love of God in Jesus Christ. When Jesus says to love our enemies he is telling us to relate to others in the same way that He does -- not in judgment, spite, retaliation, or hatred, but in love, forgiveness, patience, and prayer.
Such love is impossible for us to achieve under our own steam, but with God all things are possible. Paul explains to us in very practical terms what the nature of divine love is. He is describing first and foremost how God has loved us in Jesus, and then encouraging us to seek after a life that loves people in this same way by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. Jesus said that the world would know that we are his disciples because of our love -- for each other, but also even for our enemies.