I don’t know about your God. But, my God reigns. He reigns in power, glory, truth, love, grace; and with salvation that offers eternal life. I am not ashamed of my faith. Maybe it’s time for those professing Christianity to give obligatory prayers to the God of Israel five times a day, like those of Muslin faith.
I’ve also had a rebel heart; a person who went against the grain. Maybe that is why I can’t understand why Christians find it hard to show loyalty, gratitude, obedience and love towards God. We eagerly shout, “I believe”, but hide our allegiance and humbleness towards God from those we meet.
Last year, I took a trip to Paris with my husband. On the train ride to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, a gentleman sat next to us with prayer beads. He silently moved each bead while his lips mouthed words I could not hear; but I knew he was giving praise for the many names of his God, Allah.
This man showed no embarrassment in his silent worship. Stares from bystanders did not detour his efforts, nor did it bring a sense of shame. He was intent on mediating and reciting the glories of his God, Allah. It is similar to a rosary, but consists of 99 beads.
I do not believe in Allah; but, I do believe in Jesus Christ. Having said that, I do consider what glories we recite to our Lord each day. Muslins pray five times a day because their faith commands them to. Did you know as Christians, we are commanded to pray without ceasing; this far exceeds five times a day. It refers to a continual communication with God 24/7. No prayer beads needed, but let’s not be so quick to dismiss the idea of prayer beads for Christians.
If there are 99 beads assigned to Allah; how many beads can we assign to Jesus? I ask this question because many years ago my Daddy delivered a powerful message about meeting a Muslin man with prayer beads. When my Daddy asked about them, the Muslin gentleman explained,
“Each name is a revelation of Allah.”
Did you know that in the Old Testament there are eight different compound names for God? Each of these names is a revelation of who our God is and what He wants to be and do in your life. If you were to create a prayer bead, would you know at least 99 names assigned to our Lord Jesus.
Let’s start with these fifty, please feel free to add to the list:
1) Rose of Sharon
2) Jehovah-Shalom (my peace)
3) Jehovah-Rapha (my healer)
4) Jehovah-Jireh (my provider)
5) Jehovah-Shamma (my intimate)
6) Jehovah-Tsidkenu (my righteousness)
7) Jehovah-Ra-ah (my shepherd)
8) Jehovah-Nissi (my victory)
9) Emanuel
10) Christ
11) Jesus
12) Lord of Lords
13) Heavenly Father
14) Son of God
15) Lamb of God
16) Light of the World
17) Bread of Life
18) King of the Jews
19) Rabonni (teacher)
20) Alpha and Omega (beginning and end)
21) Advocate
22) Captain of Salvation
23) Cornerstone
24) Counselor
25) Prince of Peace
26) Deliverer
27) Dayspring
28) The door to Salvation
29) Everlasting Father
30) First Begotten
31) Glory of the Lord
32) Good Shepherd
33) Great High Priest
34) Horn of Salvation
35) Image of God
36) King of Kings
37) Mediator
38) Messiah
39) Prophet
40) Mighty God
41) Resurrection and Life
42) Root of David
43) The rock
44) Shiloh
45) Son of the Blessed
46) True Vine
47) Word of God
48) Ancient of Days
49) Finisher of Faith
50) Great I AM
I believe it is time we Christians we make prayers beads. Consider what would happen if, five times a day, we loving caressed each bead assigned to name of our Redeemer. Not just reciting each name, but memorizing the scripture that correlates to each name.
I have decided that this is a project I will do with my grandkids. This weekend, we will begin making a devotional prayer bead necklace. Each time they stay at NeeNee and Poppy’s house, we will add a bead, learn a new name for our God and memorize the scripture that gives us the name.
How awesome if our kids and grandkids could sit on a school bus without fear of shame or harassment and move each prayer bead while silently reciting scripture from the Bible. If Muslins are given the right to carry and use prayer beads; why not give our Christian children the same rights as this country is gifting to other religions? If our Christian children want to bow before God five times a day, they have that right. If the Muslin community is being granted the rights to carry forth their religious practices in the US, why is it that our nation, a nation founded under God (Jehovah) has been banned to carry out “OUR” religious practices?
Denise Marks Blog 
Alpha/Omega/Beginning/End/1st/Last/Creator/The I AM of all I am/Everything/Infinite/Love… Thanks for sharing.
You say you do not believe in Allah, but Allah is just one of the many titles of God. Perhaps you do not use the word Allah in your language, but in many languages that is the title given to the Supreme Being, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah.
That God who does not tell lies told about the Nazarene Jew Jeshua that it is His “only begotten beloved son”. You seem to take that son of God as a god son, but there is only one God you should worship and that is the Father of Jesus, not the man who really was tempted (God cannot be tempted remember) and really died (God cannot die).
Jesus prayed not to himself but to his Father in heaven the only One God. So we should also do, like Jesus told his followers not to praise him but to pray to his and our Father, with the words: “Our Father who art in heaven…”.