Thoughts for another day

Sept. 9, 2011

Today's verse: Jonah 2:8. Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies. (New Living Translation)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Man's ability to sing along with pagans in worship to their gods, is amazing.  In Mumbai, where I live, there's currently a frenzied celebration of one of their idols.  They believe this idol is the harbinger of good and invoke its name before doing anything.  The other day, traveling by bus and moving along the road where they set up the biggest idol close to the place I used to live in my childhood, I was surprised to note the frenzy in the people in the bus to have a glimpse of the idol.  The bus moved at snail's pace because of the vast throng of humanity and can you believe, I heard myself singing one of the songs being belted out?  This because I was so used to it as I used to sing it when small.  But it shocked me that I was humming it now. 

I remember the clear command God gave Moses when He brought out the Israelites from Egypt: Destroy everybody in the land I AM bringing you into, men, women, everything.  This so they wouldn't be able to lead them into worship of idols.  Believe me it's so easy to be swayed by the rituals and other things that are so intimidating that your mind starts thinking, this must be a god!  But it's all rubbish; I've seen it and know it.  In fact I'd say, even today if there's something or someone trying to incite you into worship of these abominations to the Lord, run from there.

While reading Scripture yesterday, I was on Baruch ch. 6 (also called The Epistle of Jeremiah).  I saw how the whole thing began; and it would be good for you too to read it. Everything that's mentioned there, you see being done in idol worship currently and it's amazing it's in the Bible!  God doesn't forgive them who worship idols even if they, 'graciously' worship Him too.  He hates it because He doesn't share His glory with anyone else which He so clearly demonstrated among His people. Our Scripture today says that they who do this also lose the right to God's mercy.  For obviously, if you worship anything else apart from God, you cannot expect Him to work in your favor and I would even say, why don't you go to that idol you worship?