{visiting the temple}

On a recent trip to the Buddhist temple, I was overwhelmed with sights and sounds. There was chanting from the monk, somewhere not visible but loud enough to reverberate throughout the building. There was the pungent smell of incense burning, a fragrance offering, reminding the worshiper to be good and moral. Mixed in with the smell of incense was the smell of flowers, which had been laid on every open surface, including the many altars in front of statues of Buddha or other gods. The people were rushing, pushing to get up the stairs in time to see the holy tooth relic, typically in a closed room, just out of sight of the worshiper. But today, for a short window of time, the room had been opened and people pushed and shoved, just to get a glimpse. That glimpse would bring them luck, they said. Food offerings were laying out on a table, piled up haphazardly. In one particular sanctuary there were people sitting on the floor, some bowed prostrate toward the statues, others with hands clasped near their mouths, chanting prayers and hymns. In another room outside of the temple there were rows and rows of candles, where people were ushered through to light one and move on.
The most striking of scenes for me was to see  was this:

This temple worker was clearing off the altar into the garbage. Flowers that, only moments before, had been offered up in reverence were now being thrown into the trash. It reminded me of God's words in the Bible, "I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6) More than laying flowers before a statue, more than rituals and lighting candles and incense, more than offerings of money, God desires our heart. He wants us. He wants us to love Him and his people out of an overflow of his love for us.

Bring no more vain offerings;

incense is an abomination to me.

New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—

I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.

Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates;

they have become a burden to me;

I am weary of bearing them.

When you spread out your hands,

I will hide my eyes from you;

even though you make many prayers,

I will not listen;

your hands are full of blood.

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;

remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;

cease to do evil, learn to do good;

seek justice, correct oppression;

bring justice to the fatherless,

plead the widow's cause.

Isaiah 1:13-17

So, while my visit to the temple was overwhelming, it was a beautiful reminder of God's grace and love towards me so that I no longer have to make offerings or make up for my sin. I can trust in the blood of Jesus to do that for me.  Praising him.

{a simple prayer}

Lord, as I reflect on this past year and look ahead to what's left, you have put little sprouts in my heart of things that I hope to see happen over the next year. Let these sprouts fully blossom, don't let the dream die. I need you, for:

 apart from you, I can do nothing

It's freeing and, at the same time, I feel like I need to cry out with all my heart and beg and urge you to work. But I know you're not a lazy mule that I have to pull, push, kick, or shove into action. You are my Abba, who gives good gifts. You are the God who sees me. You are the Lord who loves these people and this place more than I ever could! So, as I ask you to work, I know you will, because you asked me to come, called me to be here.
                                                        
                                                     Thank you, Abba.

Obedience one sentence at a time...

The concept showed up to me on a lengthy bus ride recently. As several ladies sat by me throughout the bus ride (PTL, because it is not out of the ordinary that they would be creepy men), I began to pray, "Lord, give me the words." And he did.  One sentence at a time, He guided my words. I thought, if He asks me to be obedient to say what He wants me to say one sentence at a time, I can do that.

I think if I lived that way more often, I would struggle less with being obedient. One step at a time. No need to worry about all the things I should be doing or could be doing when I am listening to the Spirit for each step.

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.

                                       Psalm 37:5

Lord, you do it. I give each step, each moment, each sentence up to you.