Water Fight

What started out as a New Year's Festival to wash away sins has turned into a massive country wide-water fight. When the whole city shuts down for three days to throw water at each other, things can get pretty wild. And "wild" is most definitely an understatement. The whole city is in a CRAZY, albeit friendly, water fight.  

Beautiful, wet children stand on the side of the road with bowls full of water and buckets ready to throw water at anyone who crosses their path: cars, people on scooters and any other form the passer-by may take. 

We had heard lots of warnings and even some fun commentary about the city during Songkran. Keep your mouths closed. Put all electronic devices in ziplock bags. You are not safe anywhere.  Just when you think you've dodged a bullet grabbing your bread and milk from the local store, someone will step around the corner with a loaded gun. They will not yield even though you are unarmed and beg them not to. And so, you close your mouth, squint your eyes, find your car, and run. You will not come out unscathed, but the water dries fast and because it is so ridiculously hot, you will actually be thankful that your mascara is running and your hair is wet and frizzy... again. 

The heart of the war takes place downtown by the moat. So we armed ourselves with big (so we thought) water guns and water to refill our weapons, and we headed toward the sound of the shrills and the water flying through the air. 

Cell phones protected and weapons pumped, we rolled down the windows of our truck and quickly realized, our water guns didn't hold a candle to the friendly enemy who drenched us and our truck with a big grin and a large laugh. 

Brian stopped off and got us some bigger guns, but still, we were easily defeated.

But my goodness, we had a wet and wild blast.  

Kate and Isaiah only had fun if the windows stayed up. 

Don't let that look fool you, she was not a fan of the water flying through her window.

I begged Thomas to take a walk with me through the war zone, but he couldn't muster the courage. I couldn't necessarily blame him. It was brutal out there. No one was safe. There were guns of all shapes and sizes. Guns with teddy bears and Spiderman. Water-backpack guns. Buckets with strings to dip in the moat to pull out water for their next victim. Buckets of ice were being melted and pelted at grandmas and children alike. There were even what I can only describe as water rocket-launchers.  I suppose we were safer in the car with mouths far out of range from getting moat water shot in them.  

 Even though we stayed in the car, we all came home drenched, but we didn't go down without a fight. I was just thrilled to not be sweating for the first time in weeks.  It was glorious, and I seriously had way more fun than any of my children. I thought to myself if only all wars were fought with water, this world would be a much happier place....

However...

The tables filled with flowers, Buddhas, and small cups of water brought it all back down to reality for us. As we sat at dinner the first night of Songkran and watched people bow to a statue before they poured water on it and then on themselves, we realized this is no game. Sure, we had a blast spraying and getting sprayed by perfect strangers for three days, but at it's heart this holiday is an attempt to be made pure, to be made clean. It is true, every country, every religion, every person is looking for restoration, for cleansing. It's at the heart of every religion because it is at the heart of every man. We need cleansing. We need saving. We need life. If only water could have done it... But our sin that hates and slanders and murders deserves death. Blood must be spilt. Water isn't enough to clean me up in my dirtiest, darkest place. We are dead in our sin.... "But God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5) He has given us the opportunity to be made clean, white as snow. He will cast our sin as far as the east is from the west. And He will not remember them. We can be made pure forever. Jesus has already done all the work as he poured out his spotless blood on the cross for you and for me. And as He rose, He spoke to the nations, Sin has no dominion over you. Death has no more sting. So pray for the people here and the people of the world who have yet to hear that they are loved and accepted by the eternal saving God. People who have yet to hear that they can be made clean not because of their good works or their washing in the water but because of what Jesus did for them in an act of radical love. Pray that they will hear, accept, turn from their sin and lean into the cross of Jesus. Pray that they will be made clean.