It hadn't rained for quite awhile, probably almost two months. The pollution in the air was terrible: some days you could barely even see the mountain that towers over the city out towards the west. Then, after several seemingly failed attempts, all the right natural elements came together in the right combination to bring about the miracle of rain to the city. It rained, hard, throughout the night. The next morning was quite literally like breathing a breath of fresh air. You could sense the change not just in the weather, but it was almost as though it had the power to change people, if only for just a day.
I remember it being the same way back in Wisconsin, most noticeably on the university campus. The day of the first strong spring evening rain brought everyone out of their dorm room and onto Towers Field, where with enough people and enough rain, it became a festive mud fight. The first warm day in late March again brought everyone out of their dorm room and outside, holding a tennis racket, a Frisbee, a baseball glove, or anything else that would help one enjoy the beautiful weather. The first snowfall? Of course everyone was outside playing, dancing, and opening wide their mouths to enjoy the soft sensation of landed snowflakes on their tongue.
Isn't it interesting what a little change can do for a person?
It seems like there have been not just a few little changes to life for everyone here in Chiang Mai this past academic term; the changes have been many, and they seem more significant than that of a much needed rainfall.
We've celebrated the graduation of students and the ordinations of the first national pastors in the mission: what a change! We've prayed for and supported our brothers and sisters in the faith who are going through challenges in health: what a change! We've stood by our students whose futures only the Lord knows, as they prepare for lives of service for the Lord's ministry yet face daunting pressures around them both in Chiang Mai as well as with their families back at home: what a change! We've all begun to brace ourselves for the "tightening of the belt" that comes with the uncertainty about the future of the economy: what a change! We've mourned the loss of one student's younger brother through sickness, as well as one of our own dearly beloved students killed in a motorbike accident: what a change!
Let's learn a lesson from the change in seasons: change means that it's time to prepare. The first snowfall is a good indicator that it will soon be time to put away the shorts and dig out the winter jacket. The first heavy rain reminds us it won't be long until planting season begins.
Likewise, the many changes we've seen in our lives here lately remind us how Jesus instructed us to prepare: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Thanks be to God that though heaven and earth will pass away, we have the very life-giving, hope-lifting words of Jesus recorded in the Gospel message, which will never pass away. It's the only lasting thing that we can cling to in the times of change.
I'm thankful for this past term at the Bible Institute. There have been many changes in my life, in the lives of my cohorts in the dorm, and in the lives of the mission team. This term has drawn me closer to the Word than ever before, and that has brought about a sensational joy and peace. This past term has drawn me closer in my relationship with the guys in the dorm, towards a unity and equality of Christian brotherhood that I once didn't reason to be possible with them, given barriers of language and culture. Finally, this past term has renewed my vigor to live for Christ and to daily carry out the greatest command summarized like this: to love God with everything, and to love my neighbor as myself.
This past week, after spending several days visiting with some of the families of the students, I had a few days to myself to enjoy some new scenery as well as reflect on the many changes that I've seen throughout the past few months. In that bit of time, I sat down to write a song in which I thought of the lives of our current and former students at the Bible Institute and Seminary. The lyrics are below. I hope that you, too, find comfort in the words and the reminder that you are not alone: you have the unchanging One with you always, along with your fellow Christian brothers and sisters! If you're interested, see Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Kings 19:9-18; Psalm 23; John 14:6; and Hebrews 12:1 in reference to the song.
Who You Are
You are the light -- the light of the world
Yours is the light that shines every day
I know that the darkness hastens around you
But don't let that darkness lead you astray
For the light is the one that shows the Way
To paths of truth and righteousness for His Name's sake.
You are a star -- a star in the dark sky
Yours are the beams that shine through the gloom
I know you feel so small out in the dark sky
But don't let that dark sky have any room
For the star is the one that shows the Way
To paths of truth and righteousness for His Name's sake.
He is the whisper -- a whisper of power
His are the words that comfort the soul
He knows that you suffer in a world full of darkness
So trust in that whisper to make you feel whole
For He is the One who is the Way
To paths of truth and righteousness for His Name's sake.
You are my brother -- we're brothers united
With God as our Father our voices we raise
We'll shine like the sunlight beaming clouds of great witness
To those still in darkness for all of our days
He's called us as ones who show the Way
To paths of truth and righteousness for His Name's sake.
For He is the One who is the Way
To paths of truth and righteousness for His Name's sake.
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