“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” -Psalm 34:18
Sua Sdey from Cambodia! Today, Wednesday, is our free day of the week. On this day, each team member may do what they need to be refreshed. Today, I decided to go into the heart of Siem Reap to explore as I talked to the Lord. I adore exploring! This was the first time I have been all by myself apart from my team. Though I missed them, I knew that the Lord was calling me to a day where it was only Him and I to hear His voice and to feel Him hearing mine throughout the day.
November 8, today, is a special day. Three years ago I gave my heart to the Lord and was baptized. Little did I know, one year after that on the same day I would be on a plane to Southern Africa to do YWAM. Even more did I not know, in two years after that I would be in Siem Reap, Cambodia! Tears filled my eyes today as I pondered how I am so blessed that the Lord pursued me, captured my heart, and brought to life beautiful plans in my own life and all creation.
I pondered the beauty and I pondered the pain that I see in the world. A tiny glimpse of what Jesus sees and feels.
Jesus sees the hunger of children whose bellies have become swollen from malnutrition.
Jesus sees the rebel groups who have taken children and trained them to be soldiers.
Jesus sees the children who walk with bare feet miles and miles to eat a meal and collect water that often makes them sick.
Jesus sees the woman in Kathmandu, Nepal who is sold into prostitution by her family. He sees her sad and distant eyes as she waits on the street to be bought for the night.
Jesus sees the children who guide a parent who is blind by hand to beg for money.
Jesus sees the people who earnestly devote their lives to a god who never was.
Jesus sees the grandmother in an Indian village, whose daughter has ended her life early, care for two young grandchildren with little food and no place to use the restroom and bathe except for the open area in front of their home.
Jesus sees the family in India who cries for help to be delivered from evil presences. He sees their stoic posture and deeply lost eyes.
Jesus sees those who flee their countries in fear for their lives. He sees a Thai village filled with beautiful children who fled from Burma because there are people who burn down their people group’s homes and seek to harm them.
Jesus sees you. He sees every moment of beauty and every moment of pain.
“I have told you all of this so that you may have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world.”-John 16:33
Jesus sees and he feels in depths beyond our imagination.
I simply cannot explain why all the pain happens in the world.
I suppose I am not meant to.
I do know that this pain was not what the Lord intended when He made the world.
His heart is breaking with those whose spirits are crushed.
One day, in heaven, He will wipe every tear.
One day, He will restore the world to what He intended.
Today, He is here to carry the beauty and the pain with all of us.
Take heart, for He has overcome the world.
