Journal entry: Saturday, September 17th 2011.
Today I met Srey Saat; a beautiful Khmer girl, my age, that my teammate Mari has befriended over the last 11 months living in Cambodia. She asked Mari if she would come with her to the Pagoda during Pchum Ben. Mari asked if I would come too.
The three of us rode in a tuk tuk to Srey Saat’s boyfriend’s house where we were greeted by his warm and loving family. They took us in without questions just as if we were their own daughters or nieces. They were eager to love on us, share with us, and help me practice my Khmer. As I sat on the floor of their house, watching them finish getting ready, I realized what an honor it was to be asked to join them today. They were inviting us to become part of their family today. Jesus help me love them deeply with your love today was my prayer.
“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all,
that I might win more of them. . . . I have become all things to all people,
that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel,
that I may share with them in its blessings.”
1Cor. 9:19 & 22-23
The first thing I noticed when walking up to the pagoda at the Wat (Wat is a word meaning temple grounds) was the gate. The 7 headed cobra on either side of the entry way. The cobra- the serpent, Buddha’s protector. This symbol is EVERYWHERE in Cambodia. I have a real sense in my spirit of the strongholds Satan has here, but I am not discouraged. It was at this moment, walking through the gate, that I began praying in the Spirit.
“The Lord God said to the serpent . . . I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
she shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” Romans 16:20.
“and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.
This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming
and now is in the world already.
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them,
for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:3-4
The next thing I noticed were the beggars. They were sitting outside the pagoda hands out asking to receive anything
; a bit of food, a few hundred riel (400 riel is equal to 10 cents). They were not permitted to go in; they had nothing to give or sacrifice, but they were permitted to sit outside and benefit from the mercy of a passerby. . . . and I noticed how only a few people extended that mercy.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that thought he was rich,
yet for your sake he became poor,
so that you by his poverty might become rich.” 2Cor 8:9
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matt 5:3
As I walked in, the music of the traditional Khmer instruments rang throughout the pagoda. A bouncy joyous beat. But then as I prayed silently to myself, I began to think on the heavenly hosts; their songs of praise. I began to think about the earth and how the whole world is filled with His glory! Even the sound of these beautiful Khmer instruments could not compare with such worship.
“The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
The north and the south, you created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand,
high is your right hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.”
Psalm 89:11-18
I stood back and watched as the family brought their food sacrifices and monetary sacrifices before the monk. They knelt down in front of him as he chanted. I began wondering to myself how many times today already, he had chanted those same words, and how many times will he have chanted them by the end of Pchum Ben’s 15 days. His words were emotionless. He occasionally looked down at the family, completely disengaged, chanting still, no compassion in his eyes; they were hollow. Tears began welling up in my eyes, and compassion in my heart for this family as I thought of my sweet Savior Jesus.
“When he went ashore he saw a great crowd,
and he had compassion on them,
because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
And he began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34
“I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
. . . This is my body which is broken for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.
. . . This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
Luke 22:15;19-20
After the food sacrifices were given I observed as people would take incense, money and flowers and lay it on or in front of these gold-laden buddha statues. There they would bow there heads three times, hands in front of their faces in the praying position. They would do this in front of each statue. I heard the Lord whispering this truth into my ear.
“Kristen, to whom will you liken me
and make me equal, and compare me,
that we may be alike?
Those who lavish gold from the purse,
and weigh out silver in the scales,
hire a goldsmith,
and he makes it into a god;
then they fall down and worship!
They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place.
If one cries to it, it does not answer
or save him from his trouble.
Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, Kristen,
remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient time things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
Isaiah 48:5-10
The incense rose from in front of the Buddha and permeated the air. The Lord Jesus called to mind 2 Corinthians 2:14-17:
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession
and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved
and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death,
to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word,
but as men of sincerity as commissioned by God
in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”
Lord, for how many here will I be a fragrance of life and for how many a fragrance of death? Jesus, I pray that the aroma of you rises more intensely and fragrantly than the aroma of this incense Jesus. I pray that I would leave a trail of you for the people here wherever I step. Amen.
We exited the pagoda and walked around the Wat. There were several different pagodas and temple buildings in the Wat. In one such building people would put money into large gold chalices. Then after all the sacrifices were collected the monk, seated on a pillow in front of a large golden buddha and a collection of other statues, would blow over the crowd as they bowed their heads three times before him. Then the little herd of eager seekers were ushered be hind this golden gate where they were then ushered outside and made to stand in a circle. Everyone in the circle bowed their heads as the monks with pitchers of water came around several times chanting and drenching their heads in water. It was a cleansing ceremony.
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
so that he might present the church to himself in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.”
Ephesians 5:25-27.
I watched as so many Khmer participated in every religious ritual that offered at the Pagoda today. I knew in my heart of hearts they were grasping, trying to find just a shred of truth to cling to; to answer their questions of ‘where did we come from?’ ‘why are we here?’ and ‘what is our purpose?’ Jesus, I pray that your Holy Spirit inside me and Mari would communicate a more clear and powerful message so that these beautiful children of yours would know and understand that it is only through living by your Spirit, not the ghosts of dead relatives, that true life is found in this world and the next. Amen.
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness,
but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration
and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly
through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace
we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Titus 3:4-7
There was so much about today that was false.
Satan has dressed himself up as an angel of light. Buddhism is attractive and peaceful. It has the appearance of wisdom, religiosity and tradition, but I have come to realize it will lull you to sleep; peace, indifference, apathy. Then I have to admit, Satan is the same everywhere around the world, and in many ways he has lulled the American church to sleep as well: religiosity, the appearance of wisdom, tradition, apathy, comfort. American children grow up practicing the traditions of Christianity and may never realize why; the same way these Khmer children grow up coming to the Pagoda to practice these rituals. There is no heart or emotion or love for God behind it. It is hollow religiosity. Both of them.
But even with all the spiritual blindness around me it was impossible for me to walk away from today heavy hearted because LOVE is real! The love this family has for Mari and I is real, and the love with which I love them is real.
Love that helps. Love that shares. Love that laughs. Love that learns. Love that plays. Love that serves. Love that gives. Love that speaks. Love that prays. Love that expects nothing in return.
This is God. God is Love.
God was in the midst of our today. God is pursuing them and loving them.
God is using mine and Mari’s hands as His hands to hold theirs.
God is using mine and Mari’s smiles as His smile to affirm them.
God is using mine and Mari’s mouths to speak His words to draw them to Himself.
God is using the light he has put inside of us to light the pathway that leads them into all Truth;
the light and mystery of the Gospel, Jesus Christ in us!!!!
