Taking things for granted…

 

So often I take for granted the “meat” stories in the Bible: the virgin birth, the miracles performed by Jesus, the Easter story, etc.  These are the stories I grew up with; these are the stories engrained so deep within my soul that I believe them without a shadow of a doubt.  I took for granted that this was common knowledge for everyone.

 

During our first week in Cambodia, our team began discipling and teaching English to high school and college students.  We decided to read through James, a wonderful book in the Bible, to build vocabulary and help with pronunciation.  As time went on, the students started asking questions about the concrete occurrences in the Word of Truth, such as the birth of Jesus.  This led into a discussion about the importance of knowing Scripture.  When we were children, our parents and Sunday school teachers told us, illustrated to us, and let us act out many core Biblical stories.  At Christmas time, my family sat around the Advent candle and sung a song about the people who came to visit Jesus in the manager.  The adolescences in Cambodia never had this opportunity. Most of their parents did not grow up knowing these stories; therefore, the stories were never passed down through generations.  Knowing the Truth is the key to unlock a lot of what has been lost in the country of Cambodia (and the world).

 

I can’t imagine growing up and not hearing the story of John the Baptist or the Good Samaritan.  As I ponder the thought, my mind wanders to the question, “Where would I be if I was not raised in a Christian home?  Would God still have grabbed hold of my heart at an early age?  Would I have to fight harder to keep my faith?  Would I even believe?”  By the grace of God, He found me early and knit me in the womb of my mother and placed me in the hands of a father who loves me, cares for me, and who taught me the foundations of Christianity.  God continues to reveal more and more of Himself daily, and I am thankful I can share my beliefs and new insights with my family.

 

Many Christian students in Cambodia are not as lucky.  The adolescences have a huge desire to believe and a hunger for God’s Word, yet they have to lie to their parents when they come to English class at the church or sneak to youth group on Saturday night in hopes of not getting beat.  Many of them do not attend Sunday worship service, because the parental units stand a higher chance of finding out.  Several times a week, the students put themselves in a place where their parents could find out and either forbid them to attend or worse – banish them from their family. These teenagers know there is more to life than what their parents have presented to them, and they are hungry for it.

 

My heart breaks for these young boys and girls; I ask that God’s hand of protection is over them.  God, I pray that You guard their hearts and keep them safe as they run towards You.