By Bhaskeran Thomas
TURN towards the ONLY TRUE LIVING GOD! This is an universal appeal to the teeming, billion population of this vast country called India. This is a call in sheer desperation as multitudes in this country are throwing their lot to worship worthless, lifeless idols! This is undoubtedly the reason: the country is beset with plagues! What kind of plagues? Diabetes, hypertension, cancer, heart diseases and organ malfunctioning. India is rated as the capital country for these plagues. The cause for these plagues is the public obsession to worshiping idols.
The Holy Bible substantially reveals the consequences of ignoring the REAL GOD, the CREATOR OF THE WORLD and turning towards worship of idols.
Who are these idols? The psalmist asks in Psalm 115:2, “Why do the nations say, ‘Where is their God?” The reason for this doubt is expressed from verse four onwards: “But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak; eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear; noses but cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel; feet, but cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.”
An educated person does not need a better explanation or exposition of what is blatantly followed in this country. The population is more qualified academically than ever before – what with the surplus engineers, information technology specialist, eminent master of business administration specialists. Forty or 50 years ago, these plagues had not overwhelmed the country as of now. The people simply fall down themselves to worship all kinds of idols, including human beings.
I don’t understand why people worship people! They prostrate before an ordinary mortal like themselves in reverence and adoration. This is a culture ushered in by politicians. A young cricketer is “worshiped” like GOD. How distasteful!. This obsession with jewelry and carved images is something GOD does not approve. The Bible’s Old Testament, which is often considered to be “too old” for modern thinking and opinion moulders of the present millennium, is not old or antiquated indeed! It applies to our lives at all times.
We read right in the Book of Exodus of how ALMIGHTY GOD is truly angered when people do not give the respect due to HIM. After all, it’s GOD who has given us the Grace of the Breath of Life and the Grace of the Longevity of Life. This commits our lives to HIM. There’s no way that we can deviate from this path. There’s no room or justification for bringing in lifeless objects to worship these inanimate objects. Worse still is the people’s craving for seasonal Gods as well. If someone tells his friend, ‘Why don’t you go to that temple and you’ll get better spiritual relief,” the listener succumbs.
Coming back to the Old Testament, the Holy Scripture is replete with GOD’s fervent appeal through His prophets to abjure idolatry. When the people refuse to adhere to His appeal, GOD sends down plagues with disastrous consequences. GOD did not spare the Israelites when he was taking them to the Promised Land after releasing them from the Egyptian bondage. There are continued besieging of the Israelites even after they repented but quickly turned over to their disobedient ways.
What GOD expects from us is pure and simple. As written in Psalm 50 Verse 9 onwards” “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens…..If I were hungry, I would not tell you for the world is mine, and all that is in it…..Sacrifice thank offerings to GOD, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble and you will honor Me.”
Well, it’s simple. God expects only thanksgiving for all his new mercies which He ushers in every morning, thus recognizing His Presence in our lives. As Apostle Paul writes in his First Letter to the Thessalonians 5: 16-17: “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Our Father in Heaven, as already seen, does not expect from us expensive offerings. Did not Jesus observe in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 21 the offering given by a poor widow which consisted of just “two small copper coins” that “this poor widow has put in more than all others? All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Thus the Living GOD expects our gratitude whole-heartedly.
This brings us back to how we should worship the true GOD. There’s no way that we can turn to idols to satisfy our basic instincts. The delivered Israelites wanted something physical to feel and worship and hence resorted to glorifying a golden calf. This was most unacceptable and despicable to God the Father and Deliverer. Hence, they became victims of the plagues which they saw hitting the Egyptians just before their deliverance.
We have experienced most exalted liberations in our lives. Will not GOD Almighty usher in His wrath when we do not recognize the Goodness He has done for us? Let’s change our ways and become GOD-fearing in our daily lives. Every day, the media is replete with reports of thefts of cash and jewellery. Yet, people are not learning lessons. They are craving for more of these worthless forms of wealth. Of course, we do need a satisfactory income every day. That does not mean we need bundles of currency notes in our houses and banks.
The obsession with wealth and objects of despicable idols have to disappear from our lives if this great nation has to be plague free and healthy.
The writer has worked with the US Consulate General in Chennai for 34 years. He was the Media Chief for Southern India at the Consulate from 1994 to 2005 before retiring. He is also a lay preacher who never lets go off an opportunity to lift up the Name of Jesus Christ.
