God's glory

Before the trip to Cambodia, I've started asking God to reveal His glory in the land. At the same time, I wondered how it will be like when I see God's glory fall on earth. I'm sure of how I'll respond. Dance or be still? Stand in awe or fall on my knees? Sing or not able to speak at all? Guess many times, I think when we ask for God's glory to fall, we might not even know what to expect. Are we able to bear it?

Was reading Isaiah 40 during devotion time towards the end of the trip.

Comfort for God's People

1 Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD's hand
double for all her sins.

3 A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD [a] ;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God. [b]

4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
.
.

11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
.
.

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Sensed the Lord's promise that His glory will be revealed in the land of Cambodia. There's hope for those who wait on the Lord! The poor (physical/spiritual) will be lifted up. Every obstacle/ stronghold will be brought down. Haunting memories of the past sufferings will be healed. The yoke of slavery and hardship will be broken. For the Lord will tend to His people like a shepherd. The ministry of the Lord is gentle. His healing will flow from within the hearts of the people.

Was totally appalled at what I saw at the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng genocide museum. Hundreds of thousands of people were brutally tortured and killed in the Khmer Rouge regime. At the Killing Fields, there were many mass graves dug. One cannot help but feel the spirit of death and sadness in the air. At the Tuol Sleng genocide museum, I saw pictures of wide-eyed corpses, reduced to skin and bones and lying naked. Men and women, adults and children alike were not shown any mercy. I was just thinking, "How can people be so cruel? Moreover, those were their countrymen!"

I feel that the people are literally "living in the land of the shadow of death". And the encouragement from the Lord is as such:

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." ~ Isaiah 9:2

The "light" refers to the Son.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." ~ Isaiah 9:6

Thank God that He is interested in Cambodians!

During the time we were there, I guess the most spectular display of the Lord's glory is during the altar call held at a village primary school. The Lord divinely opened up the school premises for us to set up our funfair for about 500 village students. The venue was unplanned for and it gave us as a big bonus - literally, the compound is huge.

After the funfair, our team leader (known to them as "Jame Dang" shared the Gospel to them, concluding with an invitation to receive the Lord. And guess what, almost everyone raised their hands. I could see the faces of some who stood up and said the sinners' prayer. Their countance were filled with sincerity and utmost earnestness to want God in their lives.

Praise God!

Now that we are back home, can only be praying for MORE of God's glory to be revealed in the land - whether or not God calls me to Cambodia.

Lord, not my will but Yours be done.