I just walked for an hour and a half to get to this sacred place, and the sights are breathtaking. My shoes are at the door. I am sitting on the perimeter of the room with my team and Megh. Everyone in the room is wearing their maroon robes with the hint of yellow showing underneath. The chime rings to enforce the beat and pace. Everyone sways ever so slightly to the sound, while chanting the prayers scribed in books. It almost sounds like singing, with a hint of a tune and a rhythm, but it proves to be more monotone than not. The volume and participation are wavelike. Some are focused in worship prayer; others are staring at their laps or the walls with colorful detailed pictures. There are some as young looking as 12, and others in their 50’s; all with their shaved heads grown in to different lengths. I feel out of place… but thankful.
My team and I visited a Buddhist monastery yesterday to evangelize to the nuns. Evangelize, sure. But evangelize to Buddhist nuns?
After observing their worship hour, we stood awkwardly outside of the temple, glancing at each other. I finally went up to a group of nuns to say hi, and they surprisingly spoke very good English… what a relief. (I’m continuously surprised and thankful all in the same at how many people speak English around the world) I was asking how long they have lived in the monastery, when they decided to come, and what their daily lives look like. This shifted into what I was doing in Nepal, and so I began to tell them who I was, what the WR is, and that I am a Christian. I was nervous to say this, because I didn’t want to offend them in any way by coming to their monastery to tell them about Christianity… but my words were coated in grace (thanks to Jesus) and I was doing exactly what Jesus wanted me to do. Share him and to smile… a lot.
We were invited into their kitchen for some delicious afternoon tea, where we were able to have an open conversation about each of our religions. Bema, who came to the monastery at the age of 13, and has been there for 18 years, answered our questions and listened to our hearts. After discussing each of our religions with one another it was apparent that she doesn’t have peace in her life about what she means to her gods. She didn’t feel adequate enough to answer our questions about her religion in general, and kept trying to bring someone else in to answer them.
This entire exchange broke my heart. She doesn’t feel loved by her gods the way that I do from my God. She couldn’t name all of the gods that she can pray to for different things – I have one God that hears my prayers even when I don’t have the words to articulate them. She didn’t understand the concept of her gods speaking directly to her – my God speaks to me daily. She lives without peace in her heart and with the fear that she will not be resurrected to a higher life form due to the simplest mistake she could make in her daily life – I have a guaranteed place in Heaven, even though I know I sin daily.
I am filled with joy… all of the time. And I am filled with such joy and peace because my God promises me that and I claim it. I hate seeing others not live in this reality, but in a false world of deeds. My pastor, Clay, put it perfectly, “Remember every world religion (apart from true Christianity) can be summarized by one word: "DO"–it is all about what you must do and you can never do enough to be sure you are okay. Christianity (rightly understood) is summarized by the word: "D-O-N-E"–it is all about what Jesus has done for us and it is perfect, finished, and enough!”
Praise God it is DONE and I don’t have to focus hours and hours a day hoping that I am only slightly noticed by my God. Jesus died for my sins and I have claimed my freedom in that.
He loves me so much, right where I am, and he tells me that every day.
