(Silence by Wang Keping)
Two articles that came out this morning and I read:
China Touts Its Great Firewall in Push for Internet Control
Christianity is Growing in China and What the Government is Doing About it
The Chinese Communist Party again seeks to control everything that it can to keep its power and influence. It uses it's power in different ways and at different levels. With information through the internet and through the State Church China has sought to provide a "religion" and "resource" that it controls like a river and that causes no destruction to it's interest or waves. While this news is always a cause for concern, the Chinese party still has not been able to control the hearts and thoughts of it's people and nor can it control the Holy Spirit. The Word absent the Spirit is not enough in itself. Similarly the resources absent a critical mind to analyze it is just words. The mind, our spirit, and the Holy Spirit intermingles together and this chaos and waves cannot be controlled even as the resources and institutions try to be controlled. This is not to downplay the importance of God's word because it is essential and this also doesn't downplay resources as more information to make informed decisions and discuss topics in the marketplace of ideas is important. Nevertheless, without the mind, the soul, and the Spirit it is then just words on a page, or screen, or data bit. It is the Holy Spirit and the heart of the people that make it come alive through action and creativity.
Pray for the people of China as your prayers can impact their hearts as the Holy Spirit works on the hearts of many in China and around the world.
