The whole experience of being in Thailand has been new and exciting. However, coming off the plane has left many uncertain questions about what my purpose would be. What was going to be our ministry opportunity? Who will the Lord lead me to? The answers have slowly been unfolding and led me to a new experience that I wouldn’t other wise encounter in the States. Besides working alongside Pastor Sutad, teaching VBS, and leading the Sunday services, we have been able to go into schools to teach English to Thai students. A rare opportunity opened up that would never occur in schools in the States. Before stepping into the classes to teach, we had the amazing chance to run a program about God’s love and the life change through Christ.
As I looked into the faces of those we were going to play games, sing songs, and present skits too, I felt humbled and blessed to be before them. My heart was so burdened because most of them had never been exposed to the freedom and love of who Jesus is. As I stood there watching hundreds of students walking in, all of these questions burned through my brain. As we translate, will our words and hearts be communicated to the fullest? Will they understand and know the difference between the God of Christianity and the gods of Buddhism. Can they see and hear the difference of us sharing about our true living God? I sat there continuously praying for hearts and ears to be truly opened to understanding and acceptance of the Living God.
Two of the three schools we had been too had never had foreigners in their schools before. What an honor to be invited and to be the first “foreign” faces that they have spoken to, hugged and conversed with through giggles, and hand motions. This fact alone created in me a huge sense of responsibility and urgency. My heart during that time was burdened again with what I feel was God’s heart for the Thai teachers and children. Here are His people blinded with a false religion that offers so many distractions of “other” gods. What will it take to break through the traditions and religion that they are brought up to believe? Are our teaching occasions through prayers,drimes and testimony sharing’s enough to plant a seed of truth, so as the Lord can continue to bring them closer to Him through His spirit?
One of the English games I played with the kids. It was a clothing race!
During one of the high school visits I felt God lead me to really pray with an urgency of truth and power over the students. About half way through the program a portion of the students became unfocused and fidgety. I grabbed Molly’s hand and began praying against confusion, the devils’ hold on their lives and beliefs, and prayed for clarity and truth to be revealed. I know that we were fighting against an evil force that will use anything to come against us exposing the truth into their dark lives. The reassurance of God’s intense love and power came over me. I felt that God was showing me that these opportunities were a great breakthrough and a foot in the door to even expose more of who He was to them. What an encouragement to my otherwise unhopeful heart.
The thought came to me later about “what if” we were able to share in the U.S. schools about Christ the way I did this week in Thailand to boldly go before hundreds of American children and to expose the real love and peace and comfort that so many are searching for on a daily basis. I could go into my classroom and pray with them and openly share of Christ’s salvation for us. Wow, what a breakthrough that would be! Life change and transformation could occur so much more quickly! But realization came and reminded me of the separation of church and state that so binds the freedom to present freely about God’s love and resentment and lack of hope began to rise up in me.
The irony of this all, was that the Lord than revealed to me that this same urgency He has for the Thai people, he also has for His people in the U.S. What if I had this same urgency to share the truth of God in my life with others at home? What if my heart burdened for the hearts there, that are hardened, and for minds and eyes that are blinded? What if I stopped more often and prayed against Satan’s hold on in the U.S.? What if I approached my school with boldness and urgency through prayer for opened eyes to be revealed and hearts to be sensitive to God’s spirit?
I felt as if the “what ifs” weren’t enough to just be asked. I needed to have a mind of change. Enough of the “what ifs“. As of late I have been challenged in my spirit to take action. In my days I now want to start with asking the Lord for guidance to show me whom he wants me to talk to, what to say and what to share. I don’t believe in my heart that it is the question of “if” I should be asking or sharing. The responsibility is for me to take action, walk in Gods truth and power and to make the “what ifs “into real life changing occurrences.
“Oh what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight.
Yes, what joy for those whose sin is no longer counted against them by the Lord”
Romans 4:7-8
