The Call from the Minaret
It you ever lived in a Muslim country you know what that sounds like. Five times a day the muezzin climbs a minaret of the mosque and calls the faithful to prayer. People stop what they are doing and pray. If it is time for prayer in Iran and you happen to be riding on a bus, the bus will pull off to the side of the road, men will spread their prayer rugs on the ground facing Mecca, and do their ritual prayer. It you are flying on one of the Arab airlines and it is time to pray, the plane obviously cannot stop but the faithful will still pray in the isles of the plane. Muslims are commanded by Allah to pray five times a day, everyday of their lives. Here is the twist. Even if they keep that command perfectly, they still may not make it to heaven. Islam is based on works, so it is a hopeless religion.
Our God does call us from heaven to prayer. However, our Father does not give us prescribed times to pray. He says we are to pray without ceasing. Our prayers are not to be meaningless repetitions but need to come from our heart. Prayer brings hope into our lives. Our Father cares for us, loves us, and wants us to tell Him how much we love Him.
“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” Matthew 6:7 NIV
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