The God Who Stays

After its procession, the Jade Emperor is ceremonially sent on his way. Later, many will go to the beaches to send off the spirits of the Nine Emperor Gods. For nine days, the deities have been invited to be in our communities, but tonight, people believe they have been sent away until next year.

The pops of firecrackers die down. The street sweepers work overtime clearing any indication there was a festival. The villages settle back into their normal rhythms. And people who came home for the festival will return to work and life elsewhere.

Sadly, some will bear permanent physical injury or ongoing spiritual oppression from the activities of the week, even while believing they’ve received a lasting blessing from the gods.

Read — Hebrews 13:5–8

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

And only a few verses later:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Tonight, as the festival ends and the deities are sent away, pray that people would encounter the God who stays.

Pray for conversations that continue after the festival.

Pray for questions that people can’t quite shake.

Pray for unexpected encounters with Christians.

Pray for those who spent these nine days asking for cleansing, healing, protection or blessing.

Pray for people who are beginning to wonder whether Jesus might be who Christians say He is.

And pray for new believers who may find following Him costly.

Long after the incense has burned out, the firecrackers have stopped and these streets have become quiet again, our prayer is simple:

Jesus, keep working here.

Let the people of Southern Thailand meet the One who will never leave them.