Understanding God's plan for marriage
CENTRAL ASIA – An EMM couple reported on a seminar they had with more than a dozen local small group leaders. David Shenk, global consultant for EMM, taught on Christian witness in an Islamic setting. As part of the seminar, David shared the Christian and Muslim understandings of marriage. This was especially relevant to a local Christian couple who were under pressure to split up because the wife had not become pregnant after nine months of marriage.
David said that in Islam, a woman is viewed as a field to be farmed. A man is allowed to acquire up to four fields. He plants his seed in his field(s) and expects them to produce. If a field is unproductive, it can be neglected and a better, productive field can be obtained. But this is not God’s plan for marriage. Both women and men are created in the image of God. A woman’s value is never based on her ability to produce children. Bearing a child is not a prerequisite for a man and a woman to stay in relationship. The EMM couple writes, “There was much discussion on this topic. We are praying that this couple and their families will realize the freedom the gospel gives in a marriage relationship.”
The couple also writes, “The fields are white for harvest – our cotton harvest has begun! Public life slows down since people are out picking cotton by hand. The bazaar is closed. Schools close for one month, and teachers and children are out in the fields. Our neighbor lady, who usually works at the hospital, is out picking cotton. Jesus talks of fields ripe for harvest. Are we ready to go out and pick a spiritual harvest? Recently a local friend’s wife died unexpectedly. We gave the husband a poster with Psalm 23 in the local language. Three of his daughters came to our house to see the Jesus film. Pray for the family during this time of grief and loss. They are part of the harvest here.”
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