There is a famous Minang poem that concludes with the line: alam takambang jadikan guru (nature becomes the teacher). Zul, who grew up and still lives in the rural heartland of the Minangkabau people, would have heard this poem. The ‘nature’ he was taught to conform to is a complex interplay of the natural world, social expectations and traditional and religious obligations.
Although religious tradition is strong, education is also highly prized, particularly by Zul’s father who taught Zul to search for knowledge wherever he found it. Zul has, therefore, been bold enough to look beyond the expected norms and reach out for a copy of the Bible. He has read it, from cover to cover, and warmly received believers who visited him and answered his questions. Now he is sharing this treasure with others.
Sadly, this sort of receptiveness is not very common. Minangkabau are one of the most strongly Muslim people groups in Indonesia and opportunities for them to hear or read the Word of God have been limited. Furthermore, most are afraid of the Bible, having been taught that it is dangerous.
How to Pray
- Pray that the Spirit of God will give Zul, and others like him, understanding of what they read and the words to share this with others.
- Pray for those who are too afraid to read the Bible. Ask the Father to release them from the fear and lead them to ways that they can hear the good news found in God’s Word.
- Pray for those who spread fear and oppose the truth. Ask that they be released from bondage and called to follow Jesus.
Get the Booklet
New and past editions of 30 Days of Prayer are available in our PDF store.