I’ve come to my 4th week in Thailand, it is going by so fast and I know sooner than I want I will be saying goodbye! I have never underestimated the power of impact and in what a short time something can have an impact on you. Just in these 4 weeks something has pressed deep into my heart. It is something I have known, but it seems that knowing something and being immersed in the reality of it, are two different things. The thing that has gripped me is, “My life is not my own.” I recently started reading, “don’t waste your life,” by John Piper, the first chapter tells the story of a man, that fought receiving Christ for years and then at a very old age finally prayed for forgiveness, and as he received Christ, he wept and said “I’ve wasted it!” “I’ve wasted my life.” That got me, because I know 10, 20 years from now I could look back and these could just be words on the page, but I DON’T want to waste it! I hate the thought of being someone who always "had" really cool dreams, and said alot of stuff. Saying Vs. Doing.
Being here has opened my eyes to just how big the need is, there are still millions of people that do not even know His name!There are lost people everywhere, but one of the things that I have seen here that you do not see in the states is the grip of religion on people’s lives. Someone put it into a good perspective the other day. In North America, we battle sins, religious mindsets, people that have been hurt by the church and have lost their faith. However, here the battle is so thick you can feel it in the air. It is an essence, an aroma, and darkness that you feel everywhere you go. It is a spirit to spirit battle, the worship and beliefs here are as strong as ours to God. They have a faith, a hope, but it is false hopes, they live in a state of fear, of trying to keep the spirits happy, so they will have blessings on their lives.
The battle is not against flesh and blood… It’s easy to be reminded of that, because we all have our daily battles. I once did a study on Solomon, because I was in a state of not wanting to waste my life on the things of this world. Out of that study, came this poem... At the end of this life everything we work for of earthly value will be gone and then what?
You built a master piece; beauty and wonder were bestowed upon it.
All you desired came true through it.
Standing upon its strength, you felt secure.
It was your whole life; everything you believed in and trusted.
You were surrounded by it, consumed with it.
With each move of your hand, hours turned into a life time of crafting and molding.
You signed your name upon it and your eyes were satisfied.
All the riches of the world were yours, but still your heirs few.
No one could tear between you and your kingdom.
Though you gazed into beauty, the reflection showed a fraud.
Old and wrinkled are the hands you hold now.
Hands that only show years of work; done by selfish ambitions.
Eyes that are fading, like the seal you made.
The wind sweeps it away, like the flowers of the field, which once stood tall and pretty.
In the dust it blows and you stand in its ashes.
The dew settles, as the mourning arrives.
Comparing the masses, you came to realize, your striving rested under the sun.
For what you were or were not, is now forgotten.
You caught yourself chasing after what moved like the wind.
Choosing your happiness led to your kingdoms end.
