A series on what passages of Scripture came alive to me during my time on the World Race. Continued from The Year the Bible Came Alive.
Cambodia: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth! He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. Psalm 47:1-6
While in Cambodia, I wrote a blog about how loud, intense worship made me uncomfortable. We were attending an international church in Phnom Penh that had contemporary worship. This I was used to; however, I was not accustomed to the loud shouting and crazy dancing that went along with the music during worship. Often I would get distracted by this, and just observe. My heart wasn’t into worship. But near the end of our month there, the Lord showed me that he deserves joyous worship. The worship we give him is an out-flowing of what is currently in our hearts. He is mighty and powerful and deserves to be praised!
China: And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Colossians 4:3
China was hard. We had to constantly watch what came out of our mouths. I didn’t realize how freely praises, prayers, and “Christian-ese” poured from my lips until I was forbidden from using it. While we were building relationships with the students at the university, we were generally not allowed to share about our faith. If we were asked about Jesus specifically, which happened on occasion, it required discernment from the Holy Spirit to test if this was a set-up or if our new friend was genuinely interested in knowing more about our Savior. If the Holy Spirit told us to share, we had to meet with the student at a separate location, away from any ears that could overhear. We had to rely on the Holy Spirit to open up the doors for the Gospel to be shared, it was not something that we could do on our own.
Philippines: However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. Acts 20:24
I hit a wall in the Philippines. We were comfortable—living in a nice house with good food and wireless internet. What more could I ask for? Much more, I guess. I quickly found myself wanting to be done and to return to the comforts of life in America. The Lord blessed us that month, but it wasn’t good enough for me, I still wanted more. The Lord convicted me of that one day with this verse. He reminded me that he called me to the nations and that I needed to keep going and finish the Race. He gave me the endurance to keep going and to serve him in Latin America.
Nicaragua: Pray that I may proclaim [the Word] clearly, as I should. Colossians 4:4
In Nicaragua, we spent much of our time speaking in classrooms about the Lord. Everyday we would go in small groups and share a song, story, or verse with a classroom full of children ranging from preschool to high school. Everyday I had to depend on the Lord to put words into my mouth. I’m not much of the preparation type when it comes to sharing from my heart. I decide to trust that the Lord will give me the Words. Doing it so frequently in Nicaragua, I had to trust even more that He would continue to fill my mouth with the words that he wanted to penetrate the children’s ears.
Guatemala: For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good. No one is like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power… Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. What the craftsman and goldsmith have made is then dressed in blue and purple—all made by skilled workers. But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath. Jeremiah 10:1-6, 9-10
We found ourselves in Antigua, Guatemala during Holy Week. This week is treated very different there than it is in the States. Antigua is the hub of religious activity in Latin America, thus attracting thousands during the famed Semana Santa (Spanish for “Holy Week”). Processionals of swarms of men in purple robes meander through the streets several times a day carrying huge handmade floats of Jesus and The Virgin Mary. Good Friday is treated like our Christmas and everyone in the city lines the streets watching the as the processional passes. Meanwhile, Easter is barely celebrated. The streets were empty on that Glorious Day as we walked around. The meaning behind the Easter season is lost with these people. The processionals, floats, and rituals become the focus, while Jesus’ grace-filled resurrection fades into the background. Reread the passage above. Kind of eerie, isn’t it? But we know the truth: the Lord is the one, true God; to him no one or nothing compares.
[women carrying a float through the streets of Antigua]
