Perfect Love

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18 ESV

Viewpoint: “Oh, your wife cannot have children marry another one.” “Your wife cannot have a boy marry another one.” “Your wife cannot cook; get married to another one.” “If you want to learn to speak Arabic, you should have a second wife and she should be Arab.” These statements and many others Saudi Muslims make when talking about getting married. In Islam, a man can have up to 4 wives at once. He is also allowed to divorce his wife for pretty much any reason; if she cannot have children, he can divorce her. If she burns everything she cooks, or even if she burns just one meal, he can divorce her. If she can have children, but all the children are girls, and she cannot have a boy, he can divorce her. Also, arranged marriages are still a common practice in Saudi Arabia. Husbands and wives do not get married because they love each other. Their families brought them together, but they may come to love each other eventually.

So, the concept of love in marital relationships is a very foreign to most Saudis. Saudis celebrate Valentine’s Day. Chocolates and flowers are sold and given to loved ones as signs of love and appreciation, however the idea that God loves humans is out of the realm of possibility for a lot of Saudis. They do not know the Agape love that God shows us by sending His Son to pay the price for our sins. They believe no one can pay for another person’s sin. They believe that Jesus came from God. They believe that Jesus was a prophet of God. They do not accept that Jesus is God or the Son of God. They need to hear that God loved them so much that He sent His one and only Son for them. 

Prayer points: Pray that Saudis will have an opportunity to hear about God’s Agape love for them. Ask when they hear, they believe, and they will want to know more. Pray that those who already believe will share with those around them about God’s perfect love for them.