Have you heard of Malala?  She is the young Pakistani girl who, due to her fearless campaigning for girls' education, was, a couple of years ago, shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban as she was traveling home from her school.  Thanks to a generous Pakistani government and gracious British doctors, Malala was flown to Britain and made a full recovery.  Today, she is living in Birmingham, attending school, and continuing her campaign.  She recently was made one of two recipients of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.  She is the youngest person ever to receive the honor.
     After reading her autobiography last month, I found myself quite struck by her courage and bravery, of course, but also by her unwavering trust in her god, Allah.  She firmly believes that Allah preserved her life for a purpose, and that for the rest of her days she wants to travel the planet advocating for the right of all girls to an education.  It's hard to argue with her conviction, really, as making education universally available for girls around the world will benefit everyone, not just Muslims.  We can surely argue over whether it was indeed Allah who spared Malala, yet if we believe in one sovereign and loving and personal God, we ought to nonetheless rejoice that he saw fit to grant Malala more days, perhaps many, many days on this planet.  What kind of a God would God be if he only loved the people of the West?  Or only the people of the East or South?
     God's economy and intentions are vast beyond our imagination.  Only with enormous trepidation do we try to understand and grasp them.  We can only resolve to appreciate each glimpse of their outworkings, while marveling at how, one day, we will see how it all fits together.
     Thanks, Malala, and thanks, God.