today i was reading Matthew 11 and one verse really stuck out to me. Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes Father, for such was your gracious will."
why would Jesus thank the Father for hiding the greatest knowledge to man to those who are "wise and understanding"?
b/c such people depend upon themselves. such people aren't humble to accept such a philosophy, such truth. it is the "little children" that see the need for dependence upon the Father.
as i walk the streets on taiwan, watch the news (o my goodness...that's a whole nother story all in itself), and see what they are mesmerized by, i can't help but think of Mark 8:34-38
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
These people seek to gain the world. less than 5% of people in Taiwan consider themselves Christians, but this number is probably an overstatement as less than that actually regularly attend church. and if i remember correctly, this number hasn't changed much for the past 10ish years. it may have even declined.
WHY?! Taiwan freely accepts missionaries into her country. tell me WHY?
Please pray that the Lord would bring the people of Taiwan to realization that the world has nothing for them to gain. That the Lord would stir in their hearts to become like "little children" to depend on the Father and not on themselves or even the current president to save them. That the Christians in Taiwan would really take up their cross and proclaim His name. That the missionaries would be continually encouraged and have the strength to take on this task.
