Thank You, Margie Zacharias!

            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 31^st May 2020.