old journal entries, part 3b - bonus!

whoops! I lied - there were 4!


O God, you know the events of our lives before they unfold. You understand things that our perspective simply can't or won't. Things like children with serious medical problems.

I understand, God, that because of our disobedience and faithlessness we messed up this perfect world you gave us - we embraced imperfection. I confess, though, that I will never understand babies with terrible illness. I know you don't cause such situations - and I do NOT believe that moments like that are part of some grand design of yours. My understanding of your providence makes such a belief impossible.

It's devastating. And it's not even my child. But you tell us to love one another - to be in community with one another - and so we ache when another part of our community is hurting.

Yet we know that even in these moments - perhaps especially in these moments - you are with us. Comforting us through the community that surrounds us, and through the presence of your Holy Spirit.

Surround them. Comfort them. And whatever happens, give them a measure of your peace.

Amen.

World on Fire

So the last few weeks I have been in Montreat, NC. An amazing places that hosts 6 weeks of youth conferences every summer (in addition to MANY other great conferences). The theme this year is "World on Fire" which deals with the issues facing the world today, and what our response to them as Christians should be.

I'm not really someone who journals on a regular basis, but I ALWAYS do when I'm in Montreat. So I sat down with my journal several times over the last few weeks and here is one of my prayer excerpts -

God, we live in world of isms...

racism.

sexism.

egoism.

absolutism.

a world on fire! full of
hatred.
greed.
self interest.
self importance.
violence.
injustice.
hunger.
poverty.
pestilence.
apathy and indifference.

and so many more of those words we are only comfortable talking about in conversations like, "wouldn't it be nice if someone somewhere would do something about that!"

we agree that they are problems, but are hardly willing to even really discuss in depth, much less willingly face our complicity in.

we live in a weary and beleaguered world. a world that is burning - and we're home and acting like we can't hear the fire alarm.

what is it going to take?! to get us to be

alert.

aware.

awake to the plight of our neighbors?


I hear stories all the time about people who climb out of the comfy padded room of their lives and face a new, dangerous and exciting world. a world of hopeful possibilities where the idea of people having what they need is not just an impossible ideal, but a goal to be worked toward at all costs. a world where injustice is not to be tolerated, and tolerance for differences abounds.

How do I become one of those people? How do I gain the courage to take the leap out of the box? I mean, it's not that I don't do anything - I do. I give alternative Christmas gifts. I support fair trade. I buy organic and turn the lights off when I leave the room. And those things are important.

But are they enough? are they REALLY the only changes You are calling me to make? Can I honestly convince myself that there's not more to be done?

O God of All Creation, give me the courage to use my life more for others, and guide my efforts.

Help me.

Help us.

Amen.