For the first time in my life I was that Sunday School teacher asking children if they want to know Jesus and watching them put up their hands one by one. I know many of them put up their hand because what I am offering is Jesus and how He loves them. And He does. I do not know what is in their hearts and How Jesus is moving them. But their was one girl. She was the oldest. She listened with great intention of understanding what I was sharing. She pushed her little sister out of the way when she was bugging her. And when we prayed, she nodded her head and closed her eyes tight. Just yesterday when Kara asked her if she loves Jesus, she said no.
But today was new. Today she said yes.
That morning I got up at 5 am and was ready to watch the sunrise again. It has been my favorite part of Cambodia, the morning. I have my Bible, coffee and God painting a picture just for me. And then Paleong, the neighbor comes whispering to me in his usual voice, "Can you play?" I set up four chairs, 2 for me and 2 for him. We need one to put up our feet of course. I ask him if we can pray and we hold hands and he closes his eyes as I whisper out a simple prayer he can understand. I usually pray for him to go to school since he likes to skip so he can play with us instead. He usually plays on my ipod or colors while we drink our coffee, my Nescafe and his Milo.
The other morning I couldn't find my Bible, which isn't shocking since it's hard to find most things living out of a backpack. But I was annoyed. I chose to pray while I watched the sunrise instead and I prayed about what I would share in Sunday School that day.
Build Your House on the Rock – Matthew 7
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
We acted out the story, someone being the rock, 2 people for the house, someone to be the wise man and another being the storm. The kids loved when we did the foolish man version and the house came crumbling down. We sang a song about the wise and foolish man and we played a game with rocks. And then I shared. I knelt down at their level to see them better. I told them sometimes people like to build their lives on money, fame, power and even good works. I asked them if those ideas sound good.
They really do. Let's be honest. They sound great! Who wouldn't want to build their life on money and be rich?
But the Bible says that when the rains come down and the floods come up that your foundation will crumble. When pain, sadness, fear and sickness come not one of these things will sustain you.
And the wise man built his house upon the rock. The rock is Jesus. And when the rains came down and the floods came up, the house stood strong.
They kids understood and the kids wanted to build their lives on Jesus.
For the first time in my life I've not felt distracted. It doesn't matter what country you are in, there will be distractions. Internet, ipods, Iphones, cameras, having a home that is perfectly put together and has the nicest amenities, tv, music, family, friends and even sleep. I haven't thought about any of these things for all of my time in this house on stilts in the middle of a sugar cane field. But my mind and heart has been absorbed by prayer, reading the Word, enjoying the sunrise and hoping I get to pray with Paleong that morning.
There are things that so easily distract us. Money, fame, power and even good works. All of these things will not hold up when the rains come down and the floods come up.
This little house on stilts in the jungle may not look strong, but it is built on Jesus. He is the firm foundation and when the rains come down and the floods come up as they so often do in Cambodia, there is nothing to distract from holding on to Jesu. And the house will stand strong.
