In North Korea - Pyongyang Teaches Us A Lesson

North Korea, land of many surprises.

Shaped like a rocket, nose like a needle, largest structure in all of the land. It's the Ryugyong Hotel. Meant to be the largest hotel in the world, it met a few obstacles in its construction. The concrete was of poor quality. The elevators could not operate in its crooked shafts. Power failures nation-wide plus the famine of the 90's finally shut it down. The only real sign of ongoing "life" is a construction crane perched forever at the summit of the building. I say "real" because postcards show the building all lit up and wonderful. This is an unfortunate manipulation of facts, using trick photography. One feels sorry for the builders of the colossus, the Baekdu Mountain Architects and Engineers. For those who have a glimmer of recognition about that name, from Mt. Baekdu has come the Korean gods, the present leader. And now, well, the world's tallest pile of useless concrete.

As for the hotel's handle,Ryugyong, that's the old name for Pyongyang, "capital of [weeping] willows" . It is aptly named. It was to have 3000 rooms, seven revolving restaurants, and a worldwide reputation, all by 1989. Well, it got the latter, not as expected, and costing the country 2% of its gross domestic product that year! It is a deserted place of sorrow and shame now.

This aborted dream is not only typical of the whole North Korean project under Communism, but very reminiscent of some of our own personal plans. Christians, we've been warned, and comrade Leader has now given a modern day illustration for us, to sink forever into our awareness: Finish what you start when Jesus leads you into His work. Above all, finish carrying the cross until it becomes the crown. I close with the words of the Master Builder Himself in Luke 14:27-30:

"Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple. For, which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it, lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish."

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.