MNK Update February 2002

 

Fri, Feb 1:          For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. – Romans 15:4  The Bible is our foundation, our source, our textbook.  God reveals Himself through Scripture and here, in the book of Romans, written nearly 2,000 years ago, Paul gives us the purpose of Scripture:  to teach us…so that we might have hope!  Please pray that the MNK will hear Scripture as it is broadcast and handed-out, and that they will have Hope!

 

Sat, Feb 2:            O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! –Psalm 8:1a  Majestic?  What does that mean?  Bakary is confused, but that’s not unusual when it comes to religious vocabulary.  Scripture is full of words extremely difficult to translate accurately into MNK.  Please pray for those doing Scripture translation work to be filled with wisdom and accuracy as they labor to present God’s Truth.

 

Sun, Feb 3:            You have set your glory above the heavens. –Psalm 8:1b  Bakary was given a copy of Psalm 8 yesterday while he was in town.  Since it is written in Arabic script, he, along with his friends, considered it worthy to be read.  But now, he is struggling; it is not Arabic language, but Mandinka language, and he can understand it!  This is amazing to him.  “Where is this found in the Qu’ran?”  Pray for MNK men’s hearts and minds to be open to the reality of God.

 

Mon, Feb 4:            From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. – Psalm 8:2  As Bakary considers this verse he thinks of his own children; how can children and infants praise God?  God is not concerned with children, is He?  Of course God will silence the foe and avenger.  This is confusing.  Pray for MNK men, women and children to learn to praise God as the Creator and Finisher of His universe. 

 

Tue, Feb 5:            When I consider your heavens… - Psalm 8:3a  It is a dark night, tonight.  There is no moon.  The women and children hold many superstitions concerning nights like this.  Fatou and the other women will take great care to close all the windows and doors tightly against the evil spirits.  For a Mandinka, nature is something to be wrestled with and fought against; it is not recognized as an extension of the Creator and that He ultimately controls everything.  Pray for MNK women to recognize creation as a visible expression of God’s majesty; pray for clouded eyes to be cleared.

 

Wed, Feb 6:            …the work of your fingers… --Psalm 8:3b  Now here’s an interesting thought.  Is the author of this saying God works with His fingers?  One of Bakary’s friends comments that he didn’t see God working in the peanut field last rainy season…they all chuckle.  Yet, for Bakary, he is struggling to understand what David was saying.  What is the work of God’s fingers?  For an MNK, giving God credit for things is not difficult; yet, seeing Him as a Creator interested in the peanut field, or the rice field, or the mango orchard is a stretch.  Pray that acknowledging God’s hand in creation will not simply be a religious exercise, but the beginning step of faith.

 

Thu, Feb 7:            …the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,… -- Psalm 8:3c  Bakary remembers as a teenager when the Toubob news claimed to have sent a man to the moon.  He remembers how his father, Lamin, and the other elders laughed and said it was impossible.  But he also remembers sensing uncertainty or fear in their voices.  The Toubob was claiming to have sent a man past God…past heaven and to the moon…these Toubobs cannot possibly be men of God.  The Mandinka are an uneducated and often misinformed people, not only about secular issues, but religious ones, as well.  Pray for Bakary and other MNK men to grasp their place in God’s creation; pray for them to seek a relationship with the Creator.

 

Fri, Feb 8:            … what is man that you are mindful of him,… -- Psalm 8:4a  To the MNK, God’s relationship with man is that of master to slave.  He isn’t really mindful of man at all.  Any religion that teaches otherwise is teaching heresy.  Pray for Bakary today to become aware that God is mindful of him and that God is aware of Bakary and his needs.

 

Sat, Feb 9:            …the son of man that you care for him?  -- Psalm 8:4b  This verse continues to distress Bakary.  God isn’t mindful of him, nor does God care for him.  God is too distant, too removed, too great to be interested in individuals.  And the thought of God being this close to Bakary is frightening to him; aloofness solves many religious questions to the MNK.  Pray that Bakary will come to desire a personal relationship with God, just the way he desires to relate to his friends, his father, even his wives.

 

Sun, Feb 10:            You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. – Psalm 8:5  What does it mean to be a little lower?  Does it reflect our physical location on earth?  Bakary is confused; why is this piece of paper so puzzling?  It doesn’t matter what Bakary has been taught all these years, he knows in his heart he is a constant disappointment to God; how can he be crowned with glory and honor.  Pray that Bakary, his family, MNKs, all humankind will comprehend our place in God’s creation, our value to God as part of His creation, and relate in Truth to the Creator.

 

Mon, Feb 11:            You made him ruler over the works of your hands;… --Psalm 8:6a  Bakary finally begins to understand; God gave man the assignment to rule over the earth.  But how?  He hears constant talk of fighting around the world…in Africa…in Asia…in Europe.  Bakary’s understanding of these verses is dawning, but his mind still thinks in a horizontal fashion, rather than a vertical one.  Pray that Bakary’s mind will be opened, allowing him to examine God from a spiritual perspective rather than a human one.

 

Tue, Feb 12:            …you put everything under his feet. – Psalm 8:6b  When God placed everything under man’s feet, He made him His highest and most valued creation.  But how does a society that struggles with daily life look at this responsibility?  For instance, how can Binta consider the conservation of trees when she needs cooking firewood?  How can an MNK grasp the tremendous gift of life from God when he struggles daily to find sufficient food for his family?  Pray for MNKs to see God’s goodness in all creation, and in His gift of life, especially the Mandinka of West Africa.

 

Wed, Feb 13:            O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! – Psalm 8:9  The theme of God’s majesty is not common when speaking of the “Allah” of Islam.  Yet Psalm 8 contains multiple expressions of who God is, what He has done, and David’s recognition of the insignificance of man.  Pray for the MNK to recognize and acknowledge God’s majesty in every aspect of life, and His unending love for His creation.

 

Thu, Feb 14:            Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.  -- Psalm 98:1  Binta heard these words on a music tape she was given in the market.  It is the traditional Mandinka instrument – the kora – being played…singing done by a woman…in Mandinka.  But it is not like any kora music she’s ever heard before.  The words give praise to God and not to man.  This is odd to her… but extremely appealing.  Pray for Binta to be able to truly hear the Truth of God through the familiar sounds of the kora instrument and the Mandinka language.

Fri, Feb 15:            Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth… -- Psalm 98:4a  Binta wonders about these words… there is no shouting in the mosque.  Sometimes the prayer leader on the radio shouts when he is delivering his sermon, but she has heard others say this is more political than religious.  She has heard shouting in the market by non-Muslims, but this isn’t appealing either.  From deep inside Binta is sensing that this shouting should come from within her soul; yet how?  Why?  When?  Pray that as the Word of God begins to seep into Binta’s life, her soul will embrace His love and care.

 

Sat, Feb 16:            …burst into jubilant song with music; -- Psalm 98:4b  Islam has taught the Mandinka to suppress any music or song in relationship to religion.  So, men are stoic in their attempts to worship God.  Singing and dancing and music are for woman and youth and children at parties; men show no apparent emotion, other than perhaps amusement.  So why, Binta wonders, does her heart desire to sing along with these words?  Pray that as MNKs hear the word of God through song the Holy Spirit will fill their hearts with truth and enable them to discover God.

 

Sun, Feb 17:            …make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing… -- Psalm 98:5  Why would you make music to God?  He doesn’t like it, does He?  Music?  Bob Marley?  European rap?  African rap?  Traditional teaching songs?  What do these have to do with God?  Can there be music that God enjoys?  Pray for Binta as the Holy Spirit tugs at her innermost being and her desire to worship God begins to manifests itself.

 

Mon, Feb 18:            …with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn – shout for joy before the Lord, the King. – Psalm 98:6  Joy is not a feature of MNK life.  Binta is a happy person, basically; she doesn’t know that she is missing anything.  Sure she is tired and discouraged by the amount of work she has to do.  Sometimes the other wives annoy her, but she keeps those feelings buried deep within.  But what is joy?  She really doesn’t know.  Pray for those who listen to these kora cassette tapes to be filled with the joy that resonates through the music and words.

 

Tue, Feb 19:            Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. – Psalm 98:7I  Much of what Binta has been listening to has her so confused.  These words are telling her that the whole earth…the fish…the animals…the birds…mankind…is to worship God.  And she thinks the words mean all the time, even in the difficult days.  But what does it mean for even animals to worship God?  Pray that as Binta struggles to understand this Psalm she will come to see that all of God’s creation is to worship Him.

 

Wed, Feb 20:            Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; -- Psalm 98:8  Binta remembers crossing the river on a ferry as a child.  She remembers hearing the noise of the waves beating against the side of the ferry, and thinking that it sounded like clapping.  And she has heard stories about the mountains in the old kingdom since she was a little girl.  So these words are not completely foreign to her ears; but relating them to joy and worshipping God certainly is!  Pray for Binta and other MNK women to allow the idea of joy to become part of their souls.

 

Thu, Feb 21:            …let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. – Psalm 98:9a  Again, singing!  Binta has been listening to this tape for a week now.  And she finds herself singing along, ever so quietly, to the words.  She finds herself humming the tune while walking to collect water from the well.  And she now knows the words well enough to wonder what the hidden meaning in them is.  Pray for MNKs, as they hear and see and experience the Word of God, to take the words as Truth, without deception.

 

Fri, Feb 22:            …He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity. – Psalm 98:9b  Binta knows that judgment will come; Islam speaks of it  She believes that God will judge the Islamic with righteousness, but all people are not the same.  They cannot be judged with equity, for there are those who are not on the path of Islam.  Isn’t that what the religious leaders teach?  Pray for Binta and all MNKs to recognize God’s majesty and holiness and righteousness, and that His judgments are perfect!

 

Sat, Feb 23:            Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. – Psalm 100:1  There is something so attractive about this woman’s voice on the cassette tape.  Kadi has been listening to Binta’s tape every time she plays it.  The singer makes the words come alive…she believes what she is singing.  She actually seems to be praising God…  Pray for Kadi, Binta, Fatou and other MNK women to see that praising God is not only possible, but that it can and should be done by men and women!

 

Sun, Feb 24:   Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. – Psalm 100:2  When Binta does her daily prayers, it isn’t with gladness.  She does what she knows she is supposed to do, but there is no gladness in saying words she doesn’t understand hoping a god she can’t know will hear her…a woman…  But the haunting beauty of the voice singing these words keeps drawing her back to the cassette tape.  Pray that Binta will come to a place where she will be able to actually worship the Lord; pray that MNKs will come to understand that it is possible to come to God with gladness and joyful songs.

 

Mon, Feb 25:            Know that the Lord is God. – Psalm 100:3a  Binta has always been taught that it is not possible to know God.  God is God.  He is not relational with man.  She can accept that the Lord is God, but knowing that means she would have to have assurance, and there is no assurance with God…either He will accept you into heaven, or He won’t.  Nothing you can do will change that fact.  Pray that as the women listen to the admonition to know God, they will come to learn about His steadfastness and righteousness; that they will accept that they can know God!

 

Tue, Feb 26:            It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. – Psalm 100:3b  It is difficult to be compared to an animal, especially a sheep.  In Islam, sheep are used as bridges between God and man, just the way the priests of the Old Testament sacrificed on the alter.  Sheep are stupid.  Sheep are good for nothing, except selling, trading, and sacrificing.  Sheep need to be cared for; they need to be taken out to pasture; they need to be protected from predators; they need to be brought back in at night.  Binta has a hard time hearing these words, yet the more she listens, the more she hears Truth in them.  Pray that MNKs will view their relationship with God as more than just doing things to please Him, but that God actually loves and cares for them, as they do their own sheep.

 

Wed, Feb 27:  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. – Psalm 100:4  Binta’s father was the prayer leader in her village when she was a child.  He taught her that she had no way of knowing whether or not she would go to heaven.  He taught her the things she is supposed to do to gain God’s favor, but He might change His mind after she died.  The concept of entering into the presence of God is a fearful thing to MNKs.  Pray that Binta will continue to listen to this music and seek the Truth; God’s Word promises that it will not return empty; claim that promise for the MNK.

 

Thu, Feb 28:            For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. – Psalm 100:5  Islam has 99 names for God…faithful, compassionate, merciful…but love is not one of those names.  Comprehending a love that endures forever is a huge stretch for MNKs, especially women.  Binta cannot grasp true human love, let alone the enduring love of God.  Pray for Binta to be completely surrounded by evidence of God’s enduring love; pray that the Psalms will speak to all MNKs about God’s majesty, His love, His grace, and His righteousness.