Ravi Zacharias may have been an
apologist, evangelist, or a mentor to you, but to me, he was my virtual pastor.
Ravi’s sermons will always be a joy to listen to. He was a fascinating preacher.
He faithfully preached Christ Crucified.
I know Ravi, but Ravi does not know
me.
My initial foray into apologetics
was through RZIM India. Then, I learned more about apologetics from the Southern
Evangelical Seminary.1 Ravi has now passed on, but he will continue
to teach me apologetics. Ravi’s work still remains accessible on the internet to
every hungry mind.
Thank you, Ravi!
I have wondered how God enabled Ravi’s
powerful ministry to you and me!
It
was only after Ravi’s passing that I realized his ministry would have been
impossible without Margie’s (Ravi’s wife of 48-years) presence in Ravi’s life.
This is certain.
When I read Ravi’s obituary message touchingly
written by his daughter Sarah, the mention of Margie loomed large on me, “Ravi and
Margie just celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary. My mother was entirely committed to my dad’s calling and to this
ministry, believing God called them together. I cannot recall even one moment
when I saw her commitment to this calling weaken, because she always placed
unwavering trust in the God who called them and in His purposes.” [Emphasis
Mine].2
Naomi Zacharias, Ravi’s daughter, remarked
there would have been no Ravi without Margie,
“Mom, to honor Dad is to honor you. He would not have been who he was without
your belief and support. He was a part of your calling – a beautiful part of it…” [Emphasis Mine].3
Ravi also knew that his ministry would
have been impossible without Margie. Ravi’s sister-in-law Barbara Reynolds
emphasized this during Ravi’s memorial, “…He talked about his deep love for
Margie and how when he chose her, he had chosen wisely; that without her, he never could have accomplished what he was able to
do.” [Emphasis Mine].4
Margie could have very well demanded
Ravi’s greater presence in her life.
So I thank God for Margie’s sacrificial life that enabled
Ravi to travel 200+ days in a year for the sake of ministry. Margie sacrificed Ravi’s
precious presence with her and the children to enable his precious presence in
your life and mine.
I thank God Margie did not seek visibility
through Ravi’s highly visible and celebrated ministry.
Think of one dreadful consequence
for a moment.
Had Margie sought to be as visible
as Ravi, she could have ensured her travel with Ravi during most of his
ministry. That may have robbed Ravi’s household of Margie’s invaluable presence
nurturing their children.
Ramesh Zacharias, Ravi’s brother,
emphasized Margie’s monumental and valuable presence in Ravi’s life, “While
Ravi travelled almost 200 days a year his
amazing wife Margie of 48 years raised 3 beautiful children – Sarah, Naomi,
and Nathan. So Margie, on behalf of RZIM, we want to thank you for all that you
have done for the ministry. But more importantly Margie, thank you for sharing
Ravi with the world.” [Emphasis Mine].5
God, through Margie’s supreme sacrifice,
enabled Ravi’s ministry.
Thank you very much, Margie! This I
say from the bottom of my heart.
Margie, you are an amazing testimony
to every wife whose husband is called to serve Christ. I pray all Christian
wives, whose husbands are called to serve God, would learn from your life. Thus,
I pray that God’s servants would overcome Satan’s vicious attack on Christian
families especially upon those who seek to serve God.
Last but not the least, I thank God
for blessing the Zacharias household with the hedge of protection (cf. Job
1:10) that enabled his powerful ministry to the seeking millions.
Thank you Jesus for Ravi and Margie!
Endnotes:
1https://ses.edu/
2https://www.facebook.com/RZIMfb/posts/10157796726026284
3https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBZxZG9nkC0
(Starting at 1:41:07).
4Ibid.,
(Starting 1:17:39).
5Ibid.,
(Starting at 1:10:45).
Websites last
accessed on 31st May 2020.
1 comment:
God bless Zacharias family more
And let people learn from Ravi more by his videos on YouTube
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