So it’s one of
our first days out here in Malaysia and during this first week we’ve been given
one major assignment: observe and learn about the culture. We started off with a tour of the city
and were able to see all the major sights, as well as the worship houses of all
the major religions: Buddhism, Thoa, Hindu, and Muslim. It was quite an experience to see a
minaret from one of the mosques overlooking the same street that was home to a
Buddhist, Thoa, and Hindu temple.
Today’s
assignment was an interesting one.
We were asked to go and observe the call to prayer at the Federal Mosque
here in Kuala Lumpur. The call to
prayer happens 5 times a day and essentially marks the changes that occur
throughout the day (waking up, going to work, lunch break, returning home,
going to bed). All of these can be
observed on your own whenever you hear the call, except at noon on Fridays, all
the Muslim men are called to the mosque to pray together. So we were able to sit in the balcony
with the women and watch as these men poured in and attempted to cleanse
themselves by washing their head, hands, and feet, and then went through their
rituals.
One thing we were
asked to do was to pray for these men and women before and during this time of
worship and to really feel God’s heart for these people. The Muslim religion is so close to
Christianity, but so far off because they deny one crucial fact: Jesus is THE
way, THE truth, and THE life. I
prayed and prayed…
Lord, break my heart for
these people.
As I opened my eyes
and watched the ritual, my heart broke.
The only problem was it wasn’t for who I thought it would
be for. I watched the men stand up and kneel
down at the right times. I
watched as they listened “attentively” to the teacher. I watched as the time for prayer
concluded, the men stand up, shake hands, and walk out together. Does
this picture seem eerily familiar? I hate to say it, but I feel like I
see this very same picture weekly in the States, but it’s just on another day
and we have chairs.
Now, I know if
you’re reading this I’m probably preaching to the choir because the average
Christian doesn’t actually read Christian blogs, or any Christian materials for
that matter, but I do want to speak to you guys. It’s SO easy to
get fed up or jaded with the American church because of its rituals or lack of
passion. It’s SO easy to get critical of the teachings because they may be off
theologically or just elementary.
It’s SO easy to get bored at
a weekly meeting because we know what’s on the docket. It’s SO easy sometimes to see what the church is doing wrong.
WHEN WERE WE EVER CALLED TO AN EASY LIFE?
I’m not just
frustrated with or tired of the American church like many missionaries that
come off the field from overseas. I’m frustrated with and tired of all the critics and cynics
that have plenty of ammo against the church but no admiration or love for
her, no matter how “off” her day may be. Which would be more
effective: to plant a church or community with like-minded people? or disciple
an existing church into walking into deeper intimacy with the Lord? I don’t have the answer to that
question yet, but if my motives make me more of a critic than a catalyst,
then my answer is clear.
I want the
American church to change.
I long for her to
be intimate with the Father the way she started in the book of Acts.
I want the church
to be dangerous because you cannot leave unchanged or satisfied, instead of a
place to feel comfortable in meeting the “religious status quo”.
I want the church
to change the world INSTEAD of being changed by the world.
My heart’s cry is
that I just really want the church to be the church.
So I guess for
now until I come home, I’m called to prayer…
