We had the privilege of going to the Doi Suthep Temple in Chiang Mai. It is the biggest Buddhist Temple in Northern Thailand. I took off my shoes and walked up the steps. I marvelled at all the gold, the intricate statues. I stared and took pictures. I looked around at all the people bowing down to these golden statues. Parents teaching their kids to worship. Monks giving good luck.
I have never seen so much gold. I have never just looked around in shock. Finally, I prayed a dumb prayer.
“God, I don’t want to be another tourist. I want to feel your heart. I want to see these people’s hearts.”
Never ask God for things unless you are ready. I was suddenly overcome by darkness. I sat down and just looked around. I motioned for my friend Woody to come over. I asked her if she could pray with me because where there are two or more gathered in God’s name, He is there. I told her that God needs to be here, the creator of all, and the giver of true life. She started praying and I started crying.
I wept for a long time.
I was sad. I looked into people’s eyes and saw the darkness that surrounded them.
I saw the hopelessness. I saw their search for purpose.
I saw their desire for LOVE.
It crushed me to know they may be separated from God forever.
I was angry. Angry that they have been so deceived. Angry that God is mocked and rejected while people give gifts and bow down to something made of gold. Angry that they don’t know God’s love.
I realized how many people practice idolotry…especially where I am from. We choose to give our time, our hearts, our everything to something other than God.
I was sick. I literally felt like I would throw up. The fact that we have screwed up the perfect world God created. He made us to love him, and we love other things. He created women to show his beauty, and women use their beauty to get what THEY want. He created us to give Him glory, instead we forget him or blatantly spit in His face.
I was confused. How can you bow to something made of gold, something humans have made?
What has this statue done for them that they are so devoted to it?
Why aren’t people more devoted to the true living God?
What am I giving devotion to besides God?
Each moment, I have to evaluate: What am I bowing down to?
What do I treasure? What do I submit to?
IS IT GOD?
Is God the most valuable thing? Or is it my family, friends, hopes, desires or happiness?
