Once in a while I notice themes in my life, like reading a good novel that has an emerging message through its story line. It’s kind of cool when God does that.
Lately he has been reminding me of how good it is to be safe in Christ. And how many people, especially in Thailand, really do live in fear: of death, of bad luck, of the ghosts of their deceased loved ones. This is one way the Gospel is truly good news to the Thais. God is offering them an escape from fear, a promise of everlasting safety.
A couple scenes that have illustrated this lately:
One afternoon I came home and saw three of my young neighbors, 7 or 8 years old, splashing water on the outside of my house with long leaves. They appeared to be imitating the way monks will often bless a house with “holy water” as part of a house-warming ceremony. The kids were chanting “No ghosts in this house, no ghosts in this house.” I asked them what they were doing, and one of the little girls said she was protecting me from ghosts. She turned to me and whispered “I know the family who lived here and the father died in this house.” I told her she doesn’t need to be afraid– Jesus protects us. I was struck by just how real ghosts are to these kids. And to the adults in the community, too, as I’ve seen repeatedly.
A few weeks later I was invited to a Thai funeral by neighbors. People are somber but not emotional at these events, and they pay their respects to the deceased quietly, through lighting incense and bowing down before the coffin (as well as often paying their respects to the Buddha images and other idols in the room). Then the monks chant for a good 30 minutes, in order to help the soul of the deceased leave the body and to make its way to a “heaven” while it awaits reincarnation.
The monk chanting is always a creepy experience for me. Other Thais I have talked to have also said they feel funerals are scary. I usually just sit quietly, without kneeling before the idols or taking the mediative posture while the monks chant. I take the time to pray and just observe.
This time I was sitting close enough to the monks to read the fans that they hold in front of their faces while they chant. Each one has a different phrase on it. They read “Bpai mai glap, lap mai dteun, feun mai mii, nii mai pon” or “Go without returning, Sleep without waking, Let their be no rising from the dead, Escape without being caught” (roughly). Not only are the relatives and friends making merit so the deceased can have a better next life, but also so the ghost of their loved one doesn’t stay around and haunt them.
There was one day when I asked some of the youth in our church how their lives have changed after becoming believers. The first thing they told me was that they feel so much freedom and joy knowing their eternal destiny is secure, and they do not need to be afraid that they have not made enough merit before they die. This is what I love about the Gospel right now.
“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death– that is, the devil– and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14-15)
Would many more Thais be set free from this slavery!
