Returning His Call: Cambodia - July 21, 2013 (Part 2)

[The following post is an excerpt from my journal as I traveled to Cambodia. The inconsistency in the entry title and datestamp is due to limited internet access while I was on the trip. These experiences were documented in real time, and I am posting photoblogs now that I have returned. In order to protect all those involved with the organization that rescues children from sex slavery and works to prevent others from being trafficked, I have intentionally omitted specific names and locations.]

Sunday, July 21, 2013 - Somewhere in Cambodia

"You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed."
Joshua 23:14

We were typical tourists this afternoon. The group took motos up a mountain to see some Buddhist temples and caves where people were killed during the Khmer Rouge. On the final leg of our interactive Cambodian history lesson, we stopped and waited in anticipation to see millions of bats fly out of their cave for the night. Bats are such majestic creatures. Watching them fly through the sky at night has always mesmerized me. However, this experience created more awe than ever before.

As dusk approached, the bats knew it was almost time to leave. There was a swirl of them buzzing around the cave. Every now and then a bat or two would fly near the cave entrance to test the waters, decide it wasn't time yet, then fly back into the cave. Once they determined it was dark enough, they started filing out in a structured row. They knew when the perfect time was to leave, and they knew which direction to go. Their instincts led the way!

But what if a bat were to fly in the opposite direction? What if he were to go out at sunrise and come back to the cave at dusk?

Well, first of all, this would be in direct conflict with his instincts. In addition, he would probably collide with several other bats while fighting through the traffic heading in the opposite direction. He would not have other bats flying ahead of him leading the way. He may even get lonely being in the cave by himself all night.

If you were to ask him if flying against the normal flow was worth it, do you think he would say yes?

Let that question soak in.

Going against the grain is tough. Swimming upstream is tiring. Speaking out against the majority opinion is daunting. Heck, even clapping off beat is nearly impossible for the musically inclined! [Yet, it seems that in every church service, there is an older woman who pulls it off marvelously. :o) Buuut, that's beside the point.]

God never promised that living life His way (which is often against the flow of human instincts) would be easy. In fact, it is nearly guaranteed that you will collide with others. You will have to fight against the flow of the rest of the world. Christianity may not be an easy path to follow. You may even feel loneliness or isolation in some capacity.

But the promises. Oh, the promises!

His promises outweigh any difficulty- promises to protect, comfort, sustain. He promises that we never have to experience fear. He promises hope for the future. He promises love. Most of all, He promises eternal life with Him in Paradise.

And the best part of all of this?

He has never and will never break a promise.

And so we come back to the question of the rebellious bat. Maybe for a bat, flying against the normal flow wouldn't be worth it. Maybe the sacrifices would outweigh the benefits. But the bat doesn't have a God who makes great promises to him. The bat doesn't have an invitation to Heaven that he can freely accept by making Christ the Lord of his life. The bat doesn't have forgiveness of sins presenting him with freedom from the past and a new life. The bat doesn't have a Savior who promises wholeness and healing from varying degrees of hurt.

But we do!

If someone were to ask you if flying against the normal flow was worth it, would you say yes?

Let that question soak in.

[This first set of pictures is from the bat cave.]