Venice in Macau?

The indoor canal inside the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel features both Chinese-style sampans and Venetian gondolas.

The Venetian, Las Vegas

Mom and dad at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas in Dec 2006.

In the recent decade, Las Vegas has been attracting families and tourists in addition to gamblers. The hotels/casinos are arrayed with eye-catching designs, coupled with relatively inexpensive yet good food and spectacular entertainments, "Sin City" doesn't seem that blatantly sinful anymore.

I remember feeling "wow" in the Venetian Hotel at Las Vegas. The indoor canal under a fake sky ceiling, with the expensive shops on the sidewalks, is on a different floor away from the slot machine. It's really not that bad.

Now that the Venetian is opening in Macau and billed as the world's largest casino in Asia's largest building, is Macau the new "Sin City"? I can't imagine if even just 1% of China's large population flock to these casinos.

How should one pray?

Korean hostages in Afghanistan

Some update links on the release of 2 Korean hostages

- MSNBC
- CNN
- Related pictures from MSNBC

Update on 8/29/07

- BBC News - 12 out of 19 remaining hostages have been released. The Taleban said the remaining 7 hostages would be released soon.

Update on 8/30/07

- BBC News - Taleban has freed all remaining hostages.




THANK GOD!!!

Korean hostages in Afghanistan: how to pray?

This verse which uplifted me in the past came to mind when we were praying for the Korean hostages at my church's Wednesday prayer mtg.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:9

I pray that God will demonstrate how His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts than our thoughts through resolving the kidnapping of the Korean hostages. May His name be exalted and glorified, as the whole world is watching.

I35W bridge collapse: how to pray?

In the church prayer meeting last night, our pastor broke the news to us and showed us some pictures on screen, and then asked us to pray in groups of two.

I didn't know how. I find help from John Piper's reflection. The bridge of Interstate 35W over the Mississippi River was within sight from the church he pastors. His family happened to read Luke 13:1-5 (a pre-selected passage) for devotion.

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

I'll leave it up to you to read Piper's thought. The comments from his readers are no less fascinating and thought-provoking.

I also learn how I can pray in response to the bridge collapse after reading Albert Mohler's article, in addition to Piper's reflection.

1. Pray that people wouldn't blame God for not saving those who died but would thank Him for sparing the lives of those who survive.
2. Christians and non-Christians are reminded through sudden calamities like this that "the ways and means of persons suddenly passing out of this world are indeed 'innumerable and inconceivable.'" Pray that we live everyday wisely and seize opportunities to do good.
3. Pray for those with loved ones directly involved in this tragedy.
4. Pray for the churches of Minneapolis to minister grace and truth amidst this tragedy and turmoil.