We have been in Thailand the last few days. Following a great seminar we had time to take two boat rides. The first ride was part of a great aquarium, advertised as the best in SE Asia. It is found in the lower part of a huge, high end shopping center. As part of our three hours surrounded by sea life we took a glass bottom boat ride. For this ride we were handed life jackets.
We climbed into a flat bottom boat with two employees and four other visitors, all in life jackets. We were never more than four feet from the edge of what was a very calm pool. Sure there were sharks below us - but they were well fed sharks. The risk factor was almost nil. Maybe the life jackets were provided due to some safety regulation or because an insurance company insisted on it.
This morning we attended the 9:00 am worship service at Bangkok International Church. This is the church where Pastor Bob and Louella Gould served a few years ago. It was wonderful to worship with about 500 people from Thailand and many other nations at the first of two services.
Following the service we took a taxi to the Chao Phraya River that bisects the city. We boarded a long tail boat of which there are dozens taking tourists up the river. We were not handed life jackets, in fact as we moved out into this broad river, Jan noted there were no life jackets on board. Now in contrast to the small, calm, indoor pool we were 100 meters from shore in rough river water. It was evident as we passed other boats that no tourists were wearing life jackets. Everyone was taking a risk that is absolutely illegal in most parts of North America. What an amazing difference between the two rides.
I wonder if in today's Christian world there is a clear parallel. In North America it is very easy and common for believers to play it safe. In many other parts of the world (not all) it is almost normal for Christians to take risks. And in most of those places, the church is multiplying. What does God want you to do with what He has given you?
We climbed into a flat bottom boat with two employees and four other visitors, all in life jackets. We were never more than four feet from the edge of what was a very calm pool. Sure there were sharks below us - but they were well fed sharks. The risk factor was almost nil. Maybe the life jackets were provided due to some safety regulation or because an insurance company insisted on it.
This morning we attended the 9:00 am worship service at Bangkok International Church. This is the church where Pastor Bob and Louella Gould served a few years ago. It was wonderful to worship with about 500 people from Thailand and many other nations at the first of two services.
Following the service we took a taxi to the Chao Phraya River that bisects the city. We boarded a long tail boat of which there are dozens taking tourists up the river. We were not handed life jackets, in fact as we moved out into this broad river, Jan noted there were no life jackets on board. Now in contrast to the small, calm, indoor pool we were 100 meters from shore in rough river water. It was evident as we passed other boats that no tourists were wearing life jackets. Everyone was taking a risk that is absolutely illegal in most parts of North America. What an amazing difference between the two rides.
I wonder if in today's Christian world there is a clear parallel. In North America it is very easy and common for believers to play it safe. In many other parts of the world (not all) it is almost normal for Christians to take risks. And in most of those places, the church is multiplying. What does God want you to do with what He has given you?
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