Saturday, December 12, 2009

Faith...it's everywhere

So I usually have an electronic journal on my laptop, however, since I'm traveling I haven't been able to journal any, so I'll just go ahead & unload on you:)
This year has been an incredible journey. For the past 2.5 years I've been surrounded by amazing christian people while working for a non-profit international missions organization. I grew so much during that time & I'm so thankful I was able to do it.
This year has been amazing as well, but different. I've been blessed to meet so many different kinds of people & travel to so many different places. Traveling through southeast asia has opened my eyes up to how diverse the world truly is. Just here in Malaysia where I currently am has SUCH a diverse crowd. And the most beautiful thing is, they all live in harmony together & respect eachother's similarities as well as their differences. There are muslims, hindu's, buddhists, christians...you name it. And some of these people are extremely devoted to their faith. Sometimes I wish I had their faith. And it's really got me thinking. Hear me out here. I claim to be a christian, I am a follower of Jesus, yes, but I by no means live that minute to minute of every day. Some of these people here live & breath for God. All of these religions believe in God. We all just have a different way of getting there. And of course I believe that Jesus is the way, the truth & the life....but everyone else fully believes that their way is the right way. Whose to say that my way to God is any better than their's?? I just happened to be born in the states, into a family that went to a christian church. What about all of these other people on the other side of the world? Too bad for them??? I mean, is this a bad thing?....because it seems kind of beautiful to me. That all of these people can worship God, living together, without fighting about whose way is the right way. It's very peaceful. But is it wrong that I think this? I am glad and blessed that I was raised into a Christian home & I grew up with the faith that I have. I'm glad that I know the truth. Should I be thinking, "how sad, these people are worshiping the wrong way?"....because I haven't been feeling like that. I look at them & think, wow, I wish I had a tenth of your devotiion. They worship so beautifully.
I know that is why we are suppose to go out & make disciples of all nations. But these people, it seems like it's more of a cultural difference than a religious one. If that makes sense. They worship God in their way & I worship Him in mine. But does that mean that all of these billions of people all over the world will go to Hell? I have a hard time believing that. Just because they were born over here. I dunno. If you have any answers, please let me know. But it's kind of a rhetorical question.
I've been thinking about what my next step is. My plan this whole time was to go to Fuller Seminary & study Cross-Cultural Studies with a concentration in Islamic Studies. I'm excited to get some of my questions answered through this. But I've also been thinking of different options. I'm not quite ready to go back to the states yet. SO I'm considering this grad school in Israel studing Middle Eastern Studies or possibly going to teach english in a spanish speaking country (spain?) for the main purpose of learning spanish. I dunno, I'd appreciate your prayers in this decision.
Anyway, thanks for listening & I'm all ears. LOVE YOU!

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