from the roof tops

The past 3 days have been beautiful in Kathmandu. Still cold, still polluted, but it seems the wind has picked up and blown the usual haze and fogginess away to reveal the breath-taking view that surrounds this city. Below is the view from our roof, which is open like a deck so we can sit outside in the warmth and also provides a place for our clothes to dry. (Above is from a hill looking over the city also) So far, on the days that it is cloudy one can make out the hills around us, but there have even been days when this is almost impossible. Many of us have been congested because we are not used to the pollution in the air, among other things (something to pray for).

However, today was the perfect day, not a cloud in the sky, and the city and surrounding scenery was as clear as could be. A few days ago when the mountains first became visible, I was thinking about the awesomeness of my God—how these mountains cry out of his majesty and beauty. The Nepali people are surrounded by this everyday, but most of the time, this is not even visible to them, both physically and spiritually. I felt the Lord saying how much of a spiritual picture this is for Nepal. Here we are, at the top of the Lord’s kingdom, in a sense, and his creation is proclaiming his greatness and even existence; but the Hindu and Buddhist religions are so deeply rooted into Nepali culture that they cloud him out. There is a fog and haze over their eyes that is blinding their ability to see God for who he really is. Sin has polluted the air. Often Jesus becomes one of the millions of other gods, instead of being seen as the One True God. It is like the Lord is here and present, constantly knocking at the door of Nepal, but Satan has polluted the culture and understanding of the Nepali people so they cannot understand. Not only that, but some of it is their own fault—just as the pollution that clouds out the beauty of nature is their fault, the continuous practice of rituals and worship than many Nepali don’t even understand themselves is still their responsibility. Sin that clouds and blinds is still our responsibility to turn from.

Yet God’s heart is full of compassion and kindness—he gives us days like today that blow away all of the haze so that there is yet another opportunity to turn and see his magnificent power. I look at the mountains surrounding us and I am in awe. It puts my place before the Lord is perspective—he is God and I am not. He is great and he is to be feared. Yet he also looks down on those mountains and declares that I am more beautiful than even these, that I am worth far more than any part of his creation. He is saying this about every person in Nepal too. His heart is crying out and he longs to give mercy.

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20 NLT