Where do I start? Thailand is called the land of smiles but these past few months have been nothing but smiles. People have turned against each other; Province against province, friend against friend, family against family. A group has risen to the front lines called the red shirts officially named UDD (United front for Democracy against Dictatorship), these are the main protesters in this battle of politics. These protests are nothing like what we experience in America, these people have taken over the streets of Bangkok shut down malls, transportation services and local businesses. They are camping out in the streets; living, bathing, eating, sleeping on the streets for over a month now. Tires and bamboo spears have been placed at each end of their protesting sites to deter people from entering, later razor wire was added. They are chanting and protesting all day everyday from 6am-3am making it impossible for residents of that area to receive any type of peace and quiet. They have stormed Parliament, thrown blood on the Prime Ministers house, stormed a hospital searching for military, demanded that Parliament dissolve so that they can chose who is in office, bombed a BTS station and more. They are led by several leaders who all get their orders from a chain of text messages sent by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatrawho was exiled form Thailand around 2008. There has been attempts made to reconcile but so far the attempts have been denied.
A few weeks ago I was in a taxi and my driver spoke English! He wanted to practice so we spoke my whole trip. Something he said stuck with me and really made me think. We all know that the two main topics to avoid in general conversation are politics and religion, I broke those rules! We began talking about the political situation and how it is affecting everyone around it. He said that every person had one thing in common, they love their King. He continued on by saying that if all of these people claim to love their King then why are they giving him such a headache? It is causing him pain to watch this violence progress. If they truly love their King they wouldn't want to do things that hurt him. I smiled to myself and said to him, that's exactly how God feels about his people. We as Christians claim to love our God but yet we continue to lash out at each other and cause dissension among our fellows believers and non believers. Christ has called us to love our brothers and sisters as Christ has loved us, even to love our enemies. In 1 John 4:20 He says, "If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen."
If we love our King, why are we giving Him a headache?
Their King does not rule it appears. Now only a
ReplyDeletefigure head. If he truly loved the people of Thailand would he not speak out against this action. Our King speaks to us daily through His word and the Holy Spirit. In both cases though,
will we listen?
Yes but their respect for Him is very extreme. They love their King immensely. He is very sick and so he has stayed out of public eye for quite some time. The taxi drivers point was that the Thai people claim such respect and love for their king yet they are participating in things that grieve him. But you are right the difference between our King and theirs is that ours is alive and will never die, He speaks to us daily and He has given us the Holy Spirit to walk with us daily. Which King would we rather love?
ReplyDeleteMeghan, this is amazing the analogies the Lord is illuminating to you as you're growing in Him in ways you never could have in the states. I've been praying the Lord would protect you as these things are going on. I'm also praying that the Lord would open the eyes of these people to see in the Spirit and discern the difference in their king and The KING and that they would desire Him and live for Him. It sounds like they will not get the peace they are looking for without Him and He will be the ONE that changes everything in that country. Remember to pray over the places you stay and the transportation you ride in. May the Lord continue to hold you in the palm of His Hand and give you wisdom, the WORD, and a peace that passes all understanding that will draw the people you cross paths with to seek HIM!
ReplyDeleteSent with much love and prayer,
cindy von dem Bussche