Riding my bike down the streets of Battambang, I often came upon large, interesting statues and saw gold, red, and blue buildings poking out above the fence behind them. They seemed to just blend in with the culture in Cambodia. I wanted to go beyond the gates at first; explore them and find out what those odd shapes and colors were about. When I got my wish, they weren’t as intriguing or exciting as I had hoped.
Buddhism is the leading religion in Cambodia. In a nutshell, it is about people worshipping various gods who will grant them enlightenment when their works are good enough to where they can stop reincarnating and reach nirvana. As we explored the city and learned about its rich culture among pagodas (temples, wats…etc.), I was overwhelmed with how stupid this all seemed to me. I got angry as we set foot on yet another pagoda and the Lord’s words, “This is holy ground,” rang in my head. How could someone build nasty temples worshipping false gods on our Creator’s holy ground? I didn’t want to be there anymore. I even became sad that these people don’t know of a Savior who desires to just know them. How could they believe in something so demanding and hopeless?
On our walk back, I prayed over the people of Cambodia. The Lord brought to me two distinct realities. The first is that Cambodians don’t know any better. Buddhism is part of their culture – they have only ever seen pagodas on every block and sacrificed at altars in public places. They grow up worshipping their ancestors for fear of letting them down and being cursed. They don’t even know there’s only one God and He has freed them from fear!
The second thought is that Buddhism is a very real, tangible act of idolatry, but I, myself, worship things that aren’t the Lord. As I read through the book of Judges and how the Israelites worship false gods on and off, I compare them to Buddhists. Really, we are the Israelites! We watch TV, listen to music, stick to social media, eat food, and exercise all before we go to the Lord who is our only real source of satisfaction. Comparison is the thief of joy, and I have no power to judge Buddhists when I seek temporary comfort instead of seeking the eternal peace that has already been given to me. Jesus loves Buddhists just as much as He loves me. When the Israelites turned away from God or created false idols, God had mercy on them every. Single. Time. He forgave them and even blessed them.
Judges 10:15-16, “But the Israelites said to the Lord, ‘We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.’ Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.”
I forget that that’s the gospel; Jesus forgiving us no matter what, because that’s how much he loves us. I forget that since the Lord calls me worthy enough to die on a cross for me, I should see Him worthy enough to seek Him first. If I believe that He is who He says He is, I should go to Him first anyway, because His promises are true and He is faithful. It’s funny how the Lord can twist something meant for bad and still use it to teach a lesson.
