Over the last three weeks I’ve gotten to know two women in particular. To protect their identities, I will not give out their names. I’ve visited the bar they work at numerous times and have had good conversations. Until last night. Last night when I approached the bar I saw them, but they were sitting with two men, drinking and from the appearance on the outside, having a good time. My heart sunk. I don’t know if they ended up entertaining them for the night, but just the idea that it may have turned into that made me choke back tears and feel heartbroken. Two nights prior I was able to talk to the women but during our conversation a man who had definitely visited the women before came to our table and said “I’ll be back later.”
Today we prayer-walked around multiple Buddhist temples and finished the day by visiting “The Big Buddha,” a massive statue of Buddha (only slightly smaller than the Statue of Liberty) overlooking the east and west coasts of the island of Phuket. It draws hundreds of tourists and locals every day. Thailand as a whole is almost 99% Buddhist. So few people here know real Truth; so few people here have felt True Love.
For a few moments over the last two days, discouragement tried to creep in. Sometimes the scope of what we see every day is overwhelming. But the Lord gently reminded me that He is in constant pursuit of me; first before I gave my heart to Him, and then every day since as He teaches me, stretches me, breaks me and molds me into the woman He wants me to be. In the same way, He wants us to constantly pursue every person we meet in His name. We don’t give up. We don’t back down or away from His calling. We don’t stop taking Jesus to the world. He endlessly pursues us; we must endlessly pursue every heart for Him.
