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A Hindu god on the Ganges River

 

The beginning of the Holi festival here in India began a few days after we arrived, a festival that’s associated with witchcraft and idol worship. During one festival night, Aaron witnessed people dancing around and lying prostrate before a fire right across the street from where we’re living.

Our third day here in India, we were told by our contact that the Hindu religion has over 33 million known gods, and many more hardly known. In Hinduism, almost anything can be a god. Hindus are very accommodating and will often accept gods from other religions – so long as Satan doesn’t see them as a threat…so long as they don’t see the freedom and joy of knowing Christ personally.

The irony – is that I too have been very accommodating. Here are some of the gods I’ve had:

 

  • The Clock (Time)

  • A Wife

  • Sex

                                                   

  • Success

  • Money

  • Food

                                                              

  • Intimacy

  • Mountains

  • Vacations

  • Grades

  • Safety

  • My Job

  • My Image

  • Skiing

  • Adventure

  • Music

  • Computers

  • Entertainment

  • The Internet
  • Health

Even evangelism and ministry can be a god. In Revelation 2:2-4, Jesus says to the ‘angel of the church in Ephesus,’ “I know your deeds, your had work, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.“

What is a “god”? I believe it is anything that becomes more important in our days and our lives than our love relationship with our creator. Anything that causes us to forsake our first love in Jesus.

One of my greatest temptations even now in India is to allow my affections and desires to change to God’s creation rather than for my creator. I can easily put my hope in things that are trivial when God is not at the forefront of my heart. And soon I begin to worry, fear, and even mistrust God. And yet Philippians 4:6-7 resonates with where God has me right now. It says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Like alcohol or sex or music, the things I’ve listed above are good! They have been created by God for our enjoyment and for us to draw closer to Him. But I think we can turn almost anything into a god! The question ultimately becomes, do I desire God before anything or anyone else?  Or am I in chains to the things I want or the way that I feel like I need to experience love or significance? Am I a slave to idolism or am I free to let my creator love me in a way greater than I ever can?  Am I more apt to love Him first and love everyone around me before everything else, or do I feel like I must take from others and take control because I’m not assured of His love for me?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lower Left:  A Hindu with a Cow.  Cows are still considered Gods in India; they even block busy streets at times.  But, they still in practice aren’t given that much respect by most people.

Lower Right:  A place of worship outside of a Hindu temple.

Lower Center:  Often A Western God?

Credits:  Dollar Bill image public domain from Wikipedia