Bringing the Kingdom of God to the Kingdom of Thailand
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-10).
When I first went to China, the verse that Holy Spirit pressed on me to pray over the nation was Jesus’ declaration in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” I wrote it on the wall in my first apartment. I even wrote the Chinese characters of way (道路 dàolù), truth (真理zhēnlǐ), and life (生命 shēngmìng) for decoration in my apartment. Through my experiences in China, my mind often came back to this verse reminding me that many Chinese followed “a way,” believed in “a ‘truth,'” and thought they knew what “a life” was, but they didn’t follow The Way, didn’t believe in The Truth, and had no clue who The Life was. I prayed that each person I met would be able to see my life demonstrate Jesus in these three ways of His character and that they would come to know Him through these ways. With my coming to Thailand, it seems Jesus’ teaching of prayer in Matthew 6:9-10 is the verse He wants me to pray over this country.
It didn’t even cross my radar until coming that Thailand is in fact a kingdom. So now, looking back, I see that God was preparing me. As I’ve mentioned before, while I was home, I was helping teach the children at my church. What topic did God have me teaching the kids before I left? The Kingdom of God. I was speaking with someone here where she was sharing her desire for Thailand and the vision God has given her. She said that she wanted to take part in bringing the Kingdom of God to the kingdom of Thailand. I sat next to her and in my head chided myself. “Duh, Raeha. Okay, God, I’m listening now even if I was slow on the uptake.”
So I ask you to join me in praying Matthew 6:9-10 over Thailand. I pray that God’s Kingdom will come to Thailand. I pray that His will be done here – not Thailand’s King or government officials, not mine, or any other believer of Jesus – only His will be done in Thailand as it is in heaven. May I, alongside my fellow laborers in Christ, just be an instrument to usher in God’s Kingdom and will into Thailand.
Reunited once again! Jose and Eloisa, with whom I labored alongside in China, are now also working in Thailand.
Team Phetchabun! Those pictured will become my immediate family as I minister alongside them in Thailand.
Celebrating mine and Frong’s (bottom right) July 5 birthdays with the Filipino church.
Praises
• I made it safely to Thailand!
• Everyone I’ve met here is enthusiastic about serving God and helping me adjust.
• Sister Jiep and Brother Albert—I’m so appreciative of their concern and care for me from my arrival to now as I prepare to move to Phetchabun.
Prayer Requests
• Pray for easy adjustment to a new country, new culture, new food, and new methods of doing things.
• Building relationships—Pray that I can form solid bonds with others.
Sincerely,
Raeha Butler
