As I sit here writing I hear chants and loud music coming from outside my window., it sounds as though there is a some sort of party I haven’t been invited to and I run out to see what is going on. What I see makes me angry, sad, and slightly intrigued all at once. I see a processional led by cows tethered to a float. Behind this float runs dozens and dozens of Hindu people dressed in their very best and bursting with excitement. Each of them, even the children, are marked with ash and holding sticks of incense. The float stops and I step forward for a closer look. What is all the commotion about?
What I see makes my heart pound in anger.
On top of the float sits a gigantic idol, beautifully carved and covered with jewels. The Hindu people surrounding this idol are offering it sacrifices of fruit and taking communion in full belief that in this moment, their sins are wiped clean. They are taking communion with an idol.
An idol made of stone.
An idol carved completely out of disillusionment and desperation.
“How foolish are those who manufacture idols. Those prized objects are worthless. The people who worship idols don’t know this, so they are all put to shame. Who but a fool would make his own god- an idol that cannot help him one bit? All who worship idols will be disgraced along with all these craftsmen – mere humans – who claim they can make a god. They may all stand together, but they will stand in terror and shame.” Isaiah 44:9-11
“The blacksmith works with chisel and plane and carves it into a human figure. He gives it human beauty and puts it in a little shrine … he uses part of the wood he has cut down to make a fire. With it, he warms himself and bakes his bread. Then, yes it’s true – he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship! He makes an idol and bows down in front of it! … He falls down in front of it worshipping and praying to it. “Rescue me!” hes ays. “You are my god!” Such stupid and ignorance!”
Isaiah 44:12-17
“Their eyes are closed, they cannot see. Their minds are shut, they cannot think. The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, “Why, it’s just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood? ” He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him. He trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, ‘is this idol that I am holding in my hand a lie?'”
Isaiah 44:18-20
This sums up what my month in Malaysia has looked like. It has been disheartening and infuriating to walk down the street and see idols on almost every doorpost, inside most homes and businesses, and on each street corner. The spiritual climate here in Penang is one of confusion, apathy, and frustration. To be honest with each of you, the reason I have not written many blogs this month is because until I was able to pinpoint that I was under spiritual attack, I felt dragged down into these feelings as well. I am thankful for the covering of God’s grace more than ever this month.
I have never seen an idol in a tangible form like this and before I can pause for even one second to point a finger I must turn inwards and examine m y own heart. How many meaningless objects (my itouch …. I seriously love that thing I mean c’mon I get to call my boyfriend from across the world!) do I love so much that I put before God without even realizing? How many relationships do I cling tightly to with clenched fists refusing to surrender that person to God and His will? Who do I go to first when I am sad, or happy, or frustrated? Do I bring all my emotions before God or run first to my best friend or my boyfriend? This is idolism and this is not okay. I am reminded now how pointless all this is. Everything apart from pursuing God wholly and completely is empty and meaningless.
Let me just take a second to tell you about my God. That’s God with a capital G because He is the One and Only true God, He is my King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I couldn’t be more thankful to serve a living, breathing God. A God who is more powerful than I can even begin to imagine and Who somehow in the midst of all that power, loves little ol’ me. He is my Father, He is my friend, He is my saving grace. I am thankful that He is ALIVE and accessible and all I have to do is lift my voice in prayer to Him and He listens and responds. And really, how crazy is it that I no longer have to offer sacrifices because Jesus Himself sacrificed Himself for ME?!!! What other religion could possibly say that about their god?!!!!!
“I summon you by NAME, and bestow on you a title of HONOR, even though you do not acknowledge me. I am the LORD, and there is no other, apart from Me there is no other God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me, I am the LORD, and there is no other. Return to Me, for I have REDEEMED you!” Isaiah 44,45
