There is Darkness in this world. No denying that. Darkness that can at times appear to suck the very life out of our hearts, strike us right to the very core.
There is also LIGHT in this world. The devil can’t deny that. Light that shines so bright and burns with such passion that it not only brings vision to those around it, but offers hope to those that see is as simply a flicker in the distance.
My September has been spent in Thailand. A country that is less than 1% Christian, where the sex-trafficking industry runs rampant and has ‘darkness’ around every street corner. It would be so easy to leave this country focused on the darkness that has a strong hold on this country, but instead I will ALWAYS remember the LIGHT I saw. After all, doesn’t the light shine brightest and most beautiful in the darkest moments?
We spent many mornings down on the Thailand-Myanmar border, praying for the people and situation there. About half way through the month tensions were high when someone tried to sell a gun in ‘No Mans Land’, the piece of property that falls between the jurisdiction of the two countries. Later in the week a bomb was discovered. Despite all this trouble we were able to host an event where 150 meals were handed out to people in No Mans Land! Along with the meal they were given pieces of laminated paper telling them how loved they are. There was no opposition at all and in fact the team was welcomed with open arms by the mayor of the area!
Every day over a 3 week period we had a worship session at 1:30 in the afternoon. During this time God provided some incredible healing. One day in particular an older missionary asked for healing in his knees and by the end of the afternoon he was running around the room and jumping in the air, looking years younger than his 65 year old body! Despite our busy schedules we committed to getting together every afternoon and just sitting in the presence of our Savior basking in his grace. A light that daily could not be extinguished.
One afternoon we crossed into Burma and spent time having praise and worship at a church not far into the country. We sang praises to God and prayed over the pastor and property there. After a few hours we had to leave in a hurry because some fighting broke out between the military and a village just a few miles away, and later we found out they had also found and detonated 5 bombs around that time period. Despite the turmoil that swirled around us for those few hours that was a peace and comfort basking over that church that only the Lord could provide.
Over half of my days this month were spent with the children and staff of ‘New Jerusulem’, a children’s home that takes in kids who don’t have anywhere else to go. They are Burmese kids, already a forgotten people in a country that isn’t their own. But these beautiful children are not forgotten by our God. They are loved, fed and taught the incredible love our Father has for them. That, my friends, is a bright light that came from a dark situation!
The examples could continue for pages. Examples of how the LIGHT is shining in communities all over the country of Thailand.
Are you looking for LIGHT or darkness in this world?
Whichever one you answered…you’ll find it.
Don’t let yourself become conditioned to get caught in the darkness that can surround us! Let your eyes instead turn first to the LIGHT, to the amazing works of our heavenly father.
His light shines bright enough to cast out darkness in all areas of our life. To bring hope to those that are suffering, to lift souls that are in their darkest moments and bring salvation to lives that feel they are beyond repair.
Here in Thailand I saw first hand how God will send us into the darkest situations to simply start a spark. That the light of his truth will never ever be put out by the darkness, but instead be a beacon of hope for all to run to.
Take a look around your community and life….are you letting the darkness overwhelm you…or are you so focused on the light of the Lord the darkness flees?
“And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehending it not.” John 1:5
