Asia Beckons
The singularly most difficult thing to communicate about Asia is how large it is! The video linked here gives a taste of the richness of Asia itself and of God's work in Asia - -it is from the Asia 2022 Congress that recently gathered in Thailand. On a very personal note, I find this richness inspiring of my faith. I can look at the challenges that the Church faces all around the world and be rather discouraged. Engaging Asia however causes me to see the beauty of God, the creativity of his people, the joy of his Spirit, and the wonder of his Victory. I think of Watty Piper's folktale, The Little Engine that Could, and Jesus' own parable of the Mustard Seed. Our current generation, especially in the West, is fraught with fear that things are going from bad to worse, and that perhaps the Church is losing ground. I do not see it. Rather I see God's people pressing forward to make a difference in the world, in the West and in Asia. Indeed here in Asia, in the context of Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Consumerism, and even Communism, I see God's peoples pushing forward confident that He who is within and among us is greater than he who is in the world. I see hope, creativity, and perseverance. This inspires my faith and challenges me to learn to be humble and confident in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. His humility led to the cross; I do not want to so caught up in success that I fail to follow his example. The cross does however lead to Resurrection, new life, and new community. The Asia 2022 Congress has ended, but the call to prayer continues. Would you join me in praying for God's people across Asia, to press forward with bold humility and the knowledge of God's extravagant generosity (e.g. grace)?