The other day my team went up to the top of a mountain to see the “Big Buddha.” It’s a massive statue that many people bow down to and worship.
So why would we go there? I can tell you it wasn’t just to be tourists and stare at the size of it.
We went with a mission.
Our mission: operation Destruction.
Don’t worry, we didn’t do any vandalism and we didn’t attack any red robed monks.
All we did was pray. And sing. And declare the toppling of a stone deity.
Because I believe God has more in mind for this country than bowing and praying and earning credit from a statue that is a symbol of the devil’s rule. This “god” doesn’t love these people. They deserve to know the one who created them and loves them. The One who created the mountain that the Buddha sits on.
As we were walking through the underside of the statue where someone had set up a makeshift temple to pray to Buddha, I began to sing praise to the real God of Heaven and Earth. Immediately, my jaw began to hurt and I sensed more then heard a voice say, “Shut your mouth! You can’t do that here!”
But I continued to sing as we walked out from under the cement supports of this “god.”
I told a couple other racers what had happened in there and also told them I would be going back in and continuing since the demonic powers of this place didn’t seem to like it. (It’s good way to tell you’re making Kingdom headway when you get opposition.)
I turned around and headed back in. Allie ran to catch up with me and told me she had wanted to sing too when she walked under there. Andrea also joined us and we went in and sang about the greatness and glory of God. We couldn’t sing too loudly because of the tourists and worshipers walking through every so often. But we didn’t stop singing.
The pain in my jaw didn’t return. My excitement grew as we marched in circles around the base of this idol.
This is just like so many places in the Bible where people replace God with something they think they understand. Something they can touch and reason out. But I believe the true God of the Bible is not dead. He still does miracles and He still is in the business of drawing all people back to Him.
And I’m just so excited to get to be a part of it!
We will be leaving Thailand on Saturday and headed for Cambodia. So please pray for whatever it is God has in store for us there.
And please pray for my teammates Tom, Stephen, and Joshua that God will provide the money needed for them to stay on the missions field with us and continue this Kingdom work.
If you would like to help them you can go to their blogs and click on Support Me.
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Thank you for your prayers. They do make a difference!
(View of Phuket from Big Buddha)
