24 March 2011

Why I Adopted a Terrorist for Prayer

I decided to adopt a terrorist for prayer (see my previous post regarding Philip Yancey's blog about this).
I went to the Adopt-a-Terrorist website and clicked on "adopt." Then I scrolled through scores of photos, names, and brief bios on a wide variety of suspected terrorists. After browsing the database for a while I decided on: Dr. Ayman Muhammad Rabaie al-Zawahiri
So why did I decide to adopt a terrorist and pray for him? Well there are a few reasons:
       First, Zahahiri has been in the news a lot as Al-Quaeda's number 2 man so I have some vague familiarity with him. And I remember grumbling under my breath a few times, "I hope someone kills that guy."
       Second, it would be a really wild, crazy news conference if Zawahiri was to begin to follow Jesus and announced that! Man, that would be so cool!
       Third, Jesus taught us to "pray for your enemies." I think he was speaking specifically to his students/disciples rather than making grand pronouncements about how governments should respond to people like Zawahiri. Somehow I become a little bit more like Jesus when I pray for Zawahiri.
       Lastly, this requires surrender on my part, a sort of self-emptying of having to be right or in control or in power. It cuts me to the bone and exposes my frail humanity.
       If you want to know more about Zawahiri, go to the Adopt-a Terrorist for Prayer website by clicking HERE.

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