News Story Makes Me Laugh - And Cry.

An article in the China Post today caught my eye. The brief story, Too Many Unwanted Deities Discarded in Suao, describes how a local temple in a fishing port on the east coast of Taiwan, has been receiving idols from local worshippers that want to rid themselves of the ineffective gods. A line in the article made me laugh when I first read it: "Local faithful never hesitate to dump the deities who fail to make their wishes come true."

As a believer in the Creator God, and a follower of His Son, Jesus Christ, the word "faithful", to me means to continue holding a belief or persist in a course of action regardless of present circumstances. God is a faithful God, and as His child, I seek to be faithful to Him, even when He may seem distant (which I know from His Word that He never is) or when He doesn't seem to hear my prayers (which I know He always does).

At first it surprised me to see this rather oxymoronic statement in the article about the Suao land-god worshippers. But then, it shouldn't surprise me. Idol worship, in any form, is all about creating what the worshipper wants, and when he decides he doesn't like it, and it no longer serves his needs, he just as easily abandons it, exchanging it for something else, just as he originally exchanged worship of the Creator for worship of the created thing (and in so doing exchanged the truth for a lie). c.f.. Romans 1:25

In the end, these articles evoke more sadness and grief than the initial chuckle. It is yet another stark reminder that the majority of people in Taiwan (indeed, the world) are lost and hopeless without Christ. Finding a faithfulness in Him renews our spirit to in turn be truly faithful to the One who created us!!