My last week in Swaziland, I began praying for the Lord to prepare my heart for India. As I was asking Him to show me how He sees the Indian people, I began to feel His love, His overwhelming desire for them to be reconciled to Him. I was absolutely overwhelmed with His desire for a people I had not yet met. He filled my heart with love and compassion for the multitudes walking in darkness.
There are 1.2 billion people in India and just over 5% of the population identify themselves as Christian. As I walk through the streets, it is obvious that the Indian culture is infused with spirituality. Every store, every person, every restaurant, and every building shows the marks of worship and devotion to spirits and gods that hold a nation in oppression and darkness.
As I look into the faces of idols who hold no hope or power to save, I think of the testimony of one girl I have met here. She was orphaned as a child and later adopted by a man who abused her. She came to a point of desperation, and wanted to end her life. Her words were ‘there was no god for me’. There are somewhere around 330 million dieties in the hindu religion. Out of 330 million, there was none that had good plans for her, none that offered hope or salvation for her. None but Jesus! He spoke to her. He intervened and transformed her life. He is the only One.
As I walk through the streets, I am consumed with the desire for these beautiful people to see Light, to know the One who loves them with an extravagant, overwhelming love. Every night, I dream of people, I see their faces and I know their needs. They are waiting… waiting for Light to pierce the darkness. They are waiting for healing, deliverance, and to come to the knowledge of salvation. I dream of their scars disappearing. I dream of their limbs growing. I dream of their children being set free from the bondage of tormenting spirits. I dream of eyes being opened. I dream of Holy Spirit sweeping through streets and communities. I hear their cries and see their tears.
This month, our living arrangements, schedule, and type of ministry do not afford the opportunity to speak to people about Jesus. My heart is broken for the people around me. I have the answer they are looking for, and I feel like am unable to share it with them. This month, I am struggling. Not with the culture, or the food, or even the ministry we are doing. I am really happy with what I am doing….I’m just sad about what I’m not doing.
So, I pray. Praying for the people I am dreaming of. Praying for those living around me. Praying for the other teams who are preaching and teaching this month. My trust is in the sufficiency of Jesus to reveal Himself. He wants to be known even more than I want to share Him. He is able to reveal Himself to the people of this community and nation.
Romans 9:25-26 – As He says also in Hosea ‘I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.’ ‘And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them ‘You are not my people,’ They shall be called sons of the living God.’
Romans 10:20 – But Isaiah is very bold and says: ‘I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.’
