A Second Chance for Sanjay
A Bible Worker Story from India
An Indian Traditional Musician
Sanjay was a performer of Hindu worship music. He loved the free-flowing melodies of the bhajans* and the rhythmic call and response of the kirtans.* As he frequently sang these adaptations of ancient epics and odes to Hindu deities, he considered himself to be a very spiritual person.
*Bhajans are devotional songs with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Indian religions. In the Vedic anukirtana tradition, kirtans are call-and-response songs or chants set to music, wherein multiple singers recite or describe a legend, express loving devotion to a deity, or discuss spiritual ideas.
One day, when Sanjay was away performing bhajans, his family’s sheep gave birth to three lambs. Two sheep were strong and healthy, but the third was weak and sickly. His wife called to tell him that the lamb was not moving. The next day, Sanjay called the local vet and asked him to check on the lamb. When the vet came, he said the lamb would not live long.
When the vet said this, Sanjay remembered that a while back, Shalini and her husband Nandalal, JFA Bible Workers, had come to his house to pray for his sick daughter, and she was healed.
He told his wife to call Shalini and tell her about the situation. Shalini was not available that day, but Nandalal came. A few minutes after Nandalal prayed, the lamb started to move, and Sanjay and his wife praised the Lord.
“Now this baby lamb is growing, and we are also growing in faith.” Sanjay shared.
We praise God for how He is working in Sanjay’s life. Although Sanjay continued his Hindu religious practices after his daughter’s healing, he could see evidence of God’s power and love. God reminded him of that when he faced a time of need.
Music is intimately connected with worship, and its power to affect our emotions can be used for good (see Psalm 150, 2 Chronicles 20:20-22) or evil (see Exodus 32, Daniel 3:4-6). Please join us in praying that God will free Sanjay from the influences of Hindu music and that he will commit his life fully to Jesus.
Something we admire about our Bible Workers is their willingness to go and share Jesus with people, whether or not they see the results of their labors. If we see someone witness a miracle, we want them to accept Jesus immediately, but that doesn’t always happen.
Sometimes, like with Sanjay after his daughter’s healing, people seem to continue in their old ways, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t working. Because the Bible Workers played their immeasurably small part (see Letters and Manuscripts Vol. 13), God was able to work in Sanjay’s life, and He is continuing to do so.
Our Bible Workers focus on faithfully planting the seeds of the Gospel or graciously watering seeds that have already been planted in people’s hearts (see 1 Corinthians 3:7-8) even if they are not the ones to see the harvest for God’s Kingdom.
If you would like to invest in the ongoing ministries of Bible Workers like Shalini and Nandalal and help enable them to share the Gospel in India, please click the button below.