Shan Dai Advocacy

Acts

March 23, 2007 on 1:06 pm | In His First Bible, New Testament, PrayerGrams |

Each spring the Shan Dai people celebrate the Thai New Year with a festival. Traditionally they wore new clothing for the holiday, washed the temple gods in elaborate ways and used flowers dipped in water to sprinkle the shoulders of one another as a blessing. Water is used to symbolically wash away the bad from the past year and give a clean start for the year to come. In recent years, gentle sprinkling has grown into a full blown water war lasting for over three days complete with super-soakers. Yet, still, Christian teachers can draw out the parallels from this Dai holiday to the fulfillment found in Christ. Lord, the Shan Dai recognize their need for cleansing and desire a new start to life. We know that true cleansing comes through You alone. We plead with You for godly brothers and sisters to share with the Dai Paul’s exhortation: “You are to take his message everywhere, telling the whole world what you have seen and heard. And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:15-16). This year may many hear and respond to Your message, for only when they call upon the name of the Lord will people really experience the freedom of a soul and life made clean. Father, when the Shan Dai confess their trust in You we pray for each to follow You with obedience in baptism. Identifying with their Lord, may they rise up to walk in the newness of life.