Sunday, August 16, 2015

The Strength of the King: His Hands

Over the past few weeks, the focus has been on the injustice of the world, and God's heart for those involved. It's an incredible subject to explore. But we can't leave it without responding, in our personal lives.

In church this morning, the message was related to fighting for justice and healing. One thought mentioned really stood out to me. $100 billion are poured into human trafficking in the U.S. every year. That's an unbelievable number. And yet how many people are taking action against it?  If someone spent $100 billion destroying golf courses, people would be outraged and take a stand to fight it. But few are doing the same, for one of God's precious daughters.

Jesus makes it clear throughout the Gospels that His body is not to despise these little ones, who are in need. It's easy to think that we're following that command. After all, I don't think any of us would claim to hate orphans, or have a personal prejudice against refugees. Isn't that the root of despising?

Not according to K.P. Yohannan, in his book No Longer a Slumdog. He points out that, according to the common dictionary, to despise means "to regard as unworthy of one's interest or concern". Isn't that exactly what we do, when we know about the injustices of the world, but refuse to take any stand whatsoever against them?  Through the unspoken language of the way we live our lives, we are sending the message loud and clear that these people are not worthy of our time and interest. They are not worth inconveniencing ourselves. They are not worth our lives, to be poured out at their feet.

Is that truly what we believe?

My goal in writing this is not to condemn, because I am lacking so much in this area. It's hard to fight. At this stage of life, as a single young woman not even finished with high school, it's easy to convince myself that there's nothing I can do. And it's true that there are limits to what I can do in this season of life.

But, if God has taught me nothing else in this season, it is that prayer works. On this side of the cross, we have a personal audience with the King of Kings, who has established justice in His right hand, and who is bringing His kingdom to earth, and He has promised to hear our cries, whenever we bring them to Him. We are not fighting against Him; it is His heart that breaks, and, through prayer, we partner with Him to see the things of heaven come to earth.

We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to a dying world. What better place to start, than by using those hands to grab onto that which was purchased on the cross?  He died for the weak, the broken, the oppressed, and He made it clear that any who reached out to them in His name had reached out to God Himself. Jesus took time for the outcasts, and the fallen. He did not overlook the destitute and the suffering. He came, not for those who were healthy, but for those who were sick, and needed His healing touch. The work of the cross was freedom from slavery, for all who are oppressed under the power of sin. We have been purchased by the blood of Jesus, for more than just to be forgiven from our sins. We have been purchased, adopted, and cherished that we might share that love, and be His hands to the broken.

I would encourage you this week, to seek God, and pursue what He has to lay on your heart. While injustice in general stirs compassion and anger in my heart, God has burdened me more specifically in certain areas, including orphan justice, the Middle East, and women trapped in the sex industry. Seek Him out, and find out what those areas are for you.

"For whatever you have done unto these least of these, you have done unto Me."

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Worship Song: 

"If We Are the Body",
by Casting Crowns

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