Extreme truth

Pakistan: Nadia Naira Masih

Fifteen-year-old Nadia Naira Masih is a committed Christian. Her normal practice when she lived at home was to pray and read her Bible early every morning. Although her parents haven’t seen her since February 2001, they assume that she continues this practice in the home of her captor.

A Muslim named Maqsood Ahmed abducted Nadia. Maqsood’s mother, then a friend of Nadia’s family, helped lure Nadia out of her home, where she was forced into a car with Maqsood, two of his brothers, and a friend who were all armed with automatic weapons. She has not been seen since then.

It is common for Pakistani police to look the other way when crimes are committed against Christians, especially when offered a bribe. This is allegedly the situation in Nadia’s kidnapping, and local police have been slow to pursue the case.

A certificate was delivered to Nadia’s home saying she had married Maqsood. The certificate explained, by virtue of her marriage, Nadia had officially converted from her Christian faith to Islam. Nadia is only a teenager, however. Facing anger and loss, Nadia’s parents still don’t say anything against Maqsood. Instead, they trust that God is powerful enough to do what is needed to bring Nadia back.

Trust is something someone can never fully understand until it is all someone has. Nadia’s parents know what it is to trust. They do not necessarily trust that Nadia will indeed one day return. Instead, they have full confidence that God is able to bring her back safely. The difference is enormous. If they were to trust in a particular outcome, their trust could be shaken if it did not come to pass. But they are choosing to place their trust in God’s unfailing power and ability to bring it to pass. If God in His wisdom decides not to permit her return, they will trust Him all the more. Do you trust God only so far, depending on the outcome? Or do you trust him despite any outcome? 

Excerpted from Extreme Devotion, a book of 365 true accounts of men and women who totally sold out for Jesus. You can order a copy of this book from our online catalogue or by contacting our office.