Nanawatai

​Navy Petty Officer First Class Marcus Luttrell was the sole survivor of a US Navy SEAL team ambushed by Taliban fighters. Severely wounded, Luttrell somehow managed through great courage to evade an enemy zealous to kill him.  Fortunately, members of the Afghan Sabray tribe found him and whisked him into their village. Despite incredible danger, the tribal chief protected him, fending off Taliban attacks until word reached nearby American forces who then came and rescued him.[1]

​The Sabray tribe granted Luttrell nanawatai (asylum)—a word taken from the verb meaning to go in and which refers to the safeguarding a person receives against his or her enemies. Nanawatai grants its recipient protection at all costs while under the roof of the protector until a full understanding of the one under duress is understood. It is part of pashtunwali, the nonwritten ethical code held by the Pashtun people.[2]  In the Old Testament we learn of a similar arrangement in which God commanded the Israelites to build cities of refuge where anyone who unintentionally killed someone could flee for protection from anyone intent on revenge (Numbers 35:11). 
 
Meditation
Psalm 34:22—The LORD redeems the life of His servants, and all who take refuge in Him will not be punished.
 
We know Jesus lived a sinless life on earth.  By doing so, the Son of God set up a construct whereby any that admitted their sins and placed their faith in Him could escape the penalty of eternal separation from His Father.  God honors His Son and allows Him to stand in our place through His sacrificial death. Stop and consider how profound this is.
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Satan stalks the earth seeking every soul he can vanquish.  Every weapon works to his advantage.  Time swings her methodical arm until everyone dies through aging, sickness, accidents, calamities, war, murder, or natural and manmade disasters. Hell’s halls fill with the screaming troubled who refused to trust in Jesus, ignored His call, or rejected His arms to go their own way.   But for those who seek refuge in Him, Jesus offers nanawatai!   Satan is decisively thwarted; eternal punishment is avoided and heaven resounds with the songs of those forever protected and forever blessed . . . something to think about . . . in reveration!
 
Inspiration
Our Lord always wins for us the opposite of what He suffered.  He was bound that we might go free.   He was made sin that we might become the righteousness of God.  He died that we might live.  He bore God’s curse that God’s blessing might be ours.—Andrew Murray in With Christ in the School of Prayer
 
©2014 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box. Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)
 



[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pashtunwali
[2]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanawatai