Praying with My Muslim Friend
After sitting on the long beige couch for an hour, it was almost time to leave Amira’s house. My two-year-old had begun walking along the back of the couch, jumping off the arm, and asking for a fifth pack of the little biscuits I had been using to distract him. He was getting restless and we needed to leave soon to pick up his brother from school.
But I knew God was opening a door for me to pray with my Muslim friend.
For a couple of weeks, I had been wondering what to pray for Amira. She and her husband had been trying to conceive and it seemed that her health issues were just getting worse – on top of epilepsy, she was experiencing back pain and prolonged bleeding, weakness and illness.
God, I want to pray according to your will and with your power. Should I pray with Amira and lay hands on her? If I go and lay hands on her and you heal her, you will get the glory! But what if I do that and nothing happens? Will she think you don’t answer prayer? Do I pray for her healing? For her salvation?
A few weeks prior I had sought advice from a prayer group who suggested that I pray and fast as I sought God’s leading on how to pray in such a sensitive situation. So, I began praying and set aside one meal to fast from and I also asked our supporters to be praying as well.
Around that same time, another friend reminded me that an effective way to start sharing the gospel with an unbeliever is to simply pray the good news over them. I asked God to prepare me with the words.
As the day grew closer to going over to Amira’s house for a cup of tea, I didn’t feel led to pray for complete physical healing for her. But I did feel resolution that I should pray the good news over her. I wrote out a little something ahead of time to help me.
So, as I realized my two-year-old wasn’t going to hold out much longer, I asked Amira, “Would it be alright if I prayed for your hospital appointment tomorrow?”
“Yes,” she replied quietly.
I didn’t want her to feel surprised when I started praying, so I asked, “Like right now? Out loud?”
“Yes. That’s fine.”
To buy a couple of minutes for praying, I opened yet another pack of biscuits for my little one. I bowed my head, closed my eyes, and turned my palms upward as I prayed,
“God, I thank you for Amira and for how we connected over text and then met in the street during lockdown. Thank you for her friendship and her kindness. Thank you that you love her with an everlasting love. Thank you that you sent Jesus to die for her sins and remove her shame. Thank you that Jesus is the perfect sacrifice for all who choose to follow him. Thank you for perfectly providing the sacrificial lamb as you did for Abraham and his son on the mountain.
God, I thank you that you care for Amira and all the health challenges she is experiencing. You see her desire to be a mom and have a baby, and you see the discouragement she’s feeling. Please give the doctors wisdom tomorrow in the hospital. Calm Amira’s heart and give her peace about this procedure. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
When I opened my eyes, I realized that Amira was looking at me and had probably been watching me the whole time.
She remarked, “Your son got really calm when you were praying. When you pray, does he normally calm down?”
I chuckled, “Sometimes, but I think this time it was just the biscuits.”
Powerful prayers may sometimes end with funny remarks instead of what we might see as miraculous moments.
But I was given the unique opportunity to pray over Amira and invite the Holy Spirit into her home. Into her life. And he can do miraculous and powerful things with that, like heal her body.
And, more importantly, he can raise the spiritually dead to eternal life.
About the author: *Camilla is a missionary and storyteller with Greater Europe Mission. She and her family work with Muslims in their multicultural community in the United Kingdom.
*Name changed for privacy purposes