With steam from the freshly brewed tea rising from our cups and his youngest son Amir sitting on my lap, Abdullah said, “Habibi, I have a question.” I laughed and said, “Abdullah, why do you always wait to have something to eat and drink before you ask me a question?” With a mouthful of dates and eyes that gleamed with delight, he said, “You know me, I’m Arab, do you need to ask me that?”

We both laughed, “OK, go ahead and ask me now because at the rate you and your son Amir are eating dates, this will be a quick conversation.” Little Amir looked up at me and said, “No Uncle Andy, Baba said  after this, we are going to have a big meal.” Both Abdullah and I laughed.

Abdullah then said, “Habibi, what does your Holy Book say about where you will go after you die?” “Abdullah, my answer may confuse you, because the Bible teaches after we die, it is not as much about where we go,  but who we will be with.”

Abdullah seemed confused, “What do you mean, not where but with whom?”  As he sipped his tea, I said, “Let me begin by discussing Adam and Eve. We’ve both read the story in the Quran, but I’ll answer you from what the Bible teaches.” He said, “That’s fair. I want to understand what your Holy Book says about this.”

“Abdullah, the Bible teaches God created mankind in His image.” Abdullah was perplexed, “Habibi, how could we be created in God’s image? We are sinners, and we are not a god.” I continued, “Yes my friend, what you say is correct. Abdullah, let me explain what it means to be created in God’s image. Once we understand that, we’ll be closer to understanding why eternity is not about where we’ll go but with whom we’ll be.” He chuckled and said, “Habibi, you have the gift of keeping me confused, so please continue as I eat my dates.” 

I said, “Yes Abdullah, like always, you eat while I talk.” He laughed and I continued, “The Bible says that everything God created He created by speaking it into being. For example, God said, ‘Let there be light and, there was light.’ God said, ‘let there be heavens and earth and, there were the heavens and the earth…’ God created everything by the power of His spoken word.” Abdullah reflected then asked, “OK, that makes sense, but what about mankind?” 

“Abdullah, that’s a good question, I think eating so many dates has helped your mind.” We laughed, and I said, “Let’s read what your Arabic Bible says about how God created mankind.” Hearing that, little Amir jumped down from my lap and said, “Baba, I know where our Bible is.” Then Amir ran and brought back the Bible I had given Abdullah as a gift. Handing the Bible to his Dad, tender Amir said, “Baba, you should read it in Arabic.” Then Amir climbed back into my lap, giggled, and said, “Because we both know that Uncle’s Arabic is terrible.” I tickled Amir and said to Abdullah, “I didn’t know Arab children could inherit such sarcasm!” We all laughed.

Then Abdullah read Genesis 2:7 “Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Abdullah paused and said, “O Wow! That is amazing.” I continued, “Abdullah, what do you see in the way God created mankind that is different from the way He created the rest of creation?” While Abdullah was thinking, little Amir spoke up and excitedly said, “I know! Everything God created He made by only using His words, but Uncle Andy, when God created mankind, He gave him life by forming him from the dust of the ground, then breathing into him and making him alive.” His comment touched me.  “Amir, what you say is true.”

Then I said, “Let’s think about this. God created mankind differently from the rest of creation. He created Adam by forming him with His hands, and giving him life by breathing into his nostrils. That is such an intimate and meaningful gesture. The way God created mankind in His image showed His desire for a relationship with us. He did that because He loved us.”

Thinking about that, Amir said, “What do you mean uncle?” Directing my next comments to Abdullah’s son, “Amir, can a rock, or a tree, or anything God created know God and have a relationship with Him?” Amir giggled, “Of course not Uncle, everyone knows a rock or tree don’t have souls, so can’t love God and have a relationship with Him.” Hugging my little friend, I said, “Habibi, that is true. We were created distinct from everything God created. The way God created Adam and Eve, without sin and placing them in a perfect paradise, shows His desire that mankind lives with God in relational intimacy.

Abdullah interrupted, “Habibi, we can’t live with God; we are sinners.” “Abdullah, you are right. As sinners, we cannot live with a pure and holy God. Yet we know God’s desire in creation was that all mankind  have a relationship with Him. Knowing God’s desire for a relationship with us explains why God of the Bible offers us full forgiveness of our sins.  It is only through forgiveness can we be fully restored to God and have a relationship with Him. God desires we live with the peace and joy that comes with knowing we are forgiven, made His children, and have the full assurance we will live with Him forever in paradise. This is why God created us in the first place.

Abdullah thought about this and said, can you give me an example of this?” “Yes Abdullah. Let’s look at John 14:1-4. Then Abdullah read in Arabic, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back to take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

After reading that, Abdullah paused and said, “What does this mean?” “Abdullah, it’s simple. The verses you just read explains the purpose of paradise is to live with God. I’ll say again, God created mankind in His image and without sin because God wants us to live with Him forever.  But when sin came into the world, it separated mankind from a holy God. But, God loved us so much that He did what was necessary to forgive and restore us to have an eternal relationship with Him.

In the silence that followed, little Amir got off my lap and crawled into his Dad’s warm embrace. Then Abdullah said, “Andy, in Islam, God chooses to never live with us in paradise, not even for one day. In contrast to this, you are saying the Bible teaches we will live in God’s house, with Him, for all eternity. Can you give me an example to help us understand this?”

“Habibi, I have the perfect example. Why is little Amir sitting in your lap and living with you?” Abdullah laughed and said, “Because he’s my son, and I love him.” “OK, let me ask you another question. If you had to choose between living without family, in limitless wealth, in a mansion, with the best and endless supply of everything you could ever want, or, you could live with your family in a poor house, with simple meals, what would you choose Abdullah?” Before he could answer, Amir said, “I know the answer, my Baba would live with me, Baba always says family is more important than anything!”

“Abdullah, your son is correct. In our hearts, we know our desire to live with those we love reflects both how we were created and why God created us. We were created in God’s image because He loves us and wants an eternal and intimate relationship with us.”

A silent moment passed as Abdullah and Amir reflected on what I had said. Then in a tender moment, Abdullah said to me, “Habibi, I don’t understand all that you say, but I do know for certain I love my son and want to live with Him.” Before I could respond, Amir proudly said, “Uncle Andy, my Baba is smart.” Abdullah’s eyes gleamed with pride. Then he said to Amir in a tender voice, “No my son, I just want to understand the truth.”