During the recent abnormally high floods that hit North Thailand last month there were many encouraging stories of local Thai churches helping out their neighbors. A Thai pastor revealed another side effect of the floods that I would not have expected. During the floods this pastor was helping two church families, both of which had been long term members and had been baptised. However, when the floods rose their possessions were soaked and had to be brought out into the open to dry. The pastor noticed that there were a number of occult objects and idols that were revealed. When asked about these items the families tried to explain that they were heirlooms or belonged to other family members. He shared with them how he as a boy in Isaan would search for crickets in the fields and had a unique way of catching them. The first step was to find a tell-tale hole where a cricket might be hiding and then dig around it. Then pour water into the hole. The cricket fleeing the flood of water would then escape his hole and be caught. This pastor shared with them the cricket illustration as an opening to explain to them the scriptural principles of Hebrews 4:13: “And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” He shared with them that “These floods revealed much more than just our vulnerability to disaster but also the state of our hearts.”
Do pray that Thai professing believers will make a clear break with their past lives and be like those in Ephesus: “…those who were now believers came, confessing and disclosing their occult practices” (Acts 19:18).
