What's in a Name?

A popular thing to do for exercise in Kamalasai is to go for a walk. The government encourages this by putting in walkways around some lakes and even putting some fitness equipment along the way.

Fitness Equipment at the Pond East Side of Kamalasai

There are three lakes of various sizes around Kamalasai with walkways and fitness equipment. The largest is on the west side of town. It's 3.6 km (just over 2 miles) to go all around it.

Lake on the West Side of Kamalasai

The lake closest to us is on the east side of town. The walkway there is still under development as they reconfigured the pond this past year.

Sunset Over the Lake on the East Side of Kamalasai

The lake that seems to be the oldest, based on the nature of the trees growing around it, is on the south side of town. The name of this one is Sa Bua, which translates "Lotus Pond." Sa Bua is the smallest of the three lakes.

Sa Bua or "Lotus Pond" on the South Side of Kamalasai

One thing you may notice in the picture is the dearth of lotus plants growing in the lake. As far as I know, there aren't any. Maybe at one time there were some of the pink blossoms dotting the lake, but there aren't any more. The only pink blossoms to be found are those of the water morning glory. A type of morning glory that not only grows in land, but in water where it will develop swollen, air filled stems that enable them to float.

Water Morning Glory Plants in Sa Bua

It's not like lotus plants don't grow in this part of the world. The Sacred Lotus is commonly planted. In fact the sacred lotus is a good source of food. The inflated stems and seeds are eaten.

Lotus Blossoms in the Lake East of Kamalasai

A few hours drive from here is a water body called Red Lotus Lake. At least that place lives up to its name.

Red Lotus Lake in Udon Thani Province

It's interesting how names often seem to be based on some fantasy dream rather than reality. We used to live on River Mist Avenue in Bakersfield. The house was in a subdivision called "Silver Creek". Good luck finding that glimmering stream of water. There was no river there. We were three miles south of the often dry riverbed of the Kern River. And that was Bakersfield, California—a place that qualifies as a desert with an average annual rainfall of less than six inches. No river. No creek. No mist.

At least Lotus Pond may have once had lotus plants in it.

In the Bible, names often have significant meaning. God gave Abram a new name—Abraham—which means "Father of a Multitude," because he would have many descendants (Genesis 17:5) When the nation of Israel came to a place where the water in the springs was bitter, it was named Marah, which means "bitter". (Exodus 15:23) In Hosea's prophecy there is a place mentioned called Beth Aven (Hosea 4:15; 5:8; 10:5). Beth Aven means "House of Wickedness" and some think this is a sarcastic reference to Bethel (which means "House of God") because of the idol worship that was happening there. Even Hosea's children were given significant names. For example, God told him to name is second child, a daughter, Loruhamah which means "No Mercy," because God was not going to show mercy to Israel (Hosea 1:6). Imagine having to go through life with a name like that!

Soon it will be Christmas. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The child is given the name Jesus, which means, "God saves," because He would save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) Jesus is given the title Christ, which means "anointed one" because Christians recognize this Jesus as the anointed one or Messiah predicted to come in the Old Testament.

When Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah who was to come, he listed the following names for Him (Isaiah 9:6):
Wonderful Counselor
Almighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace

-Jesus is a Wonderful Counselor—He has the best advice as to how I should live my life.
-Jesus is Almighty God—He is no ordinary person and He has extraordinary power with which to do miracles.
-Jesus is the Everlasting Father—even though He is called the Son of God, He existed from the beginning with God and will live for all eternity.
-Jesus is the Prince of Peace—He makes it possible for us to be reconciled to (at peace with) God, even though in the past our sins made us enemies of God. (Colossians 1:21). And through the power of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in all believers, we are able to love even our enemies and be peacemakers in the world. (Matthew 5:9)

God, thank You for sending us a Savior, Jesus, who is a Wonderful Counselor, the Almighty God, an Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace.

Deception

Father and daughter rinse toothbrushes
in the canal

As I watch this father and daughter rinse their toothbrushes in the filthy canal water, it almost makes my stomach turn. Indeed, if I were to do that--and then use the toothbrush--I'm sure my stomach really would start turning.

The canals here don't have the cleanest water. They are not only a source of irrigation water, but also the dumping grounds for all kinds of waste--be it biological or otherwise.

And then I think of the pristine waters formed by the melting snow in the Sierras. Oh how refreshing that water is--such a nice cool respite on a hot summer day in the mountains. (My body is transported to Pear Lake, nestled beneath the crags of Alta Peak in Sequoia National Park. Oh, how I miss those mountain escapes.)

Pear Lake, nestled below Alta Peak

Yet, even there, danger lurks. For even though the water is crystal clear. It can be the home of some nasty parasites: giardia, among other things. And the critters I might consume in that refreshing swig of mountain waters can cause me just as much grief as the stuff in the green murk of the canal in rural Chachoengsao, Thailand. (OK--so the risk is perhaps a bit greater in the murky stuff, but you get my drift.)

So we have to be careful how we judge things. Outward appearances aren't always letting us know what is going on.

This is the challenge we face in trying to start churches here in Thailand. Who are the leaders? Maybe the ones that we at first think are the next great leaders of the church, may not always be the best choice. It's hard to know what is going on inside someone.

And we want to trust, but sometimes it is hard to trust.

Only God knows what it going on deep inside us and so we need to lean on Him to show us who the next leaders are. It might be the unlikely-looking one.

O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
   You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.
   Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV)