Ferguson, Thailand and Justice.
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I used to think I had no real frame of mind for ‘justice’ or
‘fairness’. Yes, my Christian thought was to ‘pray for the oppressed’ and
‘fight for justice’. But the actions of my life or even, sadly, my prayer life
didn’t reflect my longing for God to bring justice to and save this broken
world.
Today I sit and reflect on the current events in Ferguson. Before
I begin, please know I am not taking a stance or writing to make a
political/racial point. But instead talk about the position of my heart with
the idea of justice. Before this past summer if the events of Ferguson had
occurred I would have read a few articles, maybe watch the news and be interested
in the outcome to an extent. But now? My heart aches at the thought of this broken
world where we are constantly reminded that there is no peace, full justice for
wrongs or rest until Jesus comes back. My heart aches for my African American
brothers and sisters who feel attacked and not honored or loved. My heart aches
for the city of Ferguson that is currently torn apart and in need of healing. My
heart longs for Revelation 7:9 where Heaven will consist of ONE people, all
together worshipping our Creator.
So what changed? Why can I not sit by like I once could and witness injustice, but now instead be burdened for God to swiftly act?
Jesus’ grace happened. This summer He graciously showed me
injustice firsthand in a way I hadn’t experienced before. Not just allowing me
to ‘see’ injustice, but become friends with the very ones experiencing it.
Things change when you become friends with the oppressed.
They are suddenly not distant people or a group you read articles about, but a
part of your life and heart.
In Thailand I had the honor to become friends with women who
worked in bars. As the trip went on, it became less ‘doing bar ministry at
night’ and more ‘I get to go hangout with my friends’, friends who just so
happen to work in bars in the red light district. I now feel the weight and darkness
around sex trafficking, slavery, bondage and abuse because it isn’t something
that I read about in articles or blogs but is something my own friends are
experiencing.
Suddenly justice isn’t just a distant idea, but an issue
that weighs my heart. And not in an overly dramatic way, but in the realization
that this isn’t what life is meant to be like. God didn’t intend for women and
men to be bought and taken advantage of. God didn’t intend for racial division
and strife. God loves all His children and has called us to pray and intercede
for Jesus to come and move during our day because we are ALL in desperate need
of Him.
Something deeply moving and beautiful happens when you
become more than a bystander of injustice. When the things on your TV don’t
just cause you to rethink things for a moment but instead be deeply moved to
prayer and intercession for this broken world.
Don’t think that there is nothing you can do about justice. Don't just be in denial and want to be uninformed on the issues of this world. What can you do? You can pray, with expectancy and urgency.
If you are a believer, God has graciously allowed you to experience His grace
in justice firsthand. At one point God allowed you to feel your brokenness and
need for something greater than yourself to save you. Jesus Christ took
your penalty excusing all the wrongdoing you had committed. You, yourself, have
experienced grace and the pardon of what you deserved. Justice in our world must be met
with love, grace and a desire for God to mend the brokenness like He has in our
own hearts.
Jesus’ heart breaks over the red light districts around the
world. Jesus’ heart breaks over Ferguson and the racial tension in our
generation.
For He did not come to condemn the world, but to save the
world (John 3:17). Praise God, that His character is one of grace, love and
justice. May we desire to have His heart in a time where the world desperately
needs it. May we desire to become friends with and fight for the oppressed.
Other resources on Ferguson, privilege, and justice:
Kingdom Come
·
“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in
Heaven”—I have come to admire, love and rely on this line the past two months.
I have heard and recited it for years and years, but God has used it in
profound ways recently. My mindset on prayer hasn’t shifted, but because of
this line, the way I live out the prayers I pray have.
Take a second and think about His Kingdom, about the joy,
peace, comfort, and beauty that it encompasses. How the sin and brokenness of
this world are gone and replaced with fullness of His presence and the
marvelousness of His glory.
In His Kingdom there is no pain- we are filled with joy and
wonder.
In His Kingdom darkness is gone- we are in His overwhelming
light.
In His Kingdom there is no brokenness- we are made whole.
In His Kingdom there is no emptiness- we are full of Him.
In His Kingdom there is no poverty- we have an inheritance
of a King.
In His Kingdom there are no orphans- we have a Father who is
perfect.
In His Kingdom there are no red light districts- sin is
defeated and we are redeemed.
In His Kingdom there is no sickness- we are healed.
Saying “Your Kingdom come and your will be done on Earth as
it is in Heaven” is powerful.
This summer serving and loving on the people in the bars of
the red light district, slums and villages wouldn’t have been hopeful without
this prayer.
If His Kingdom isn’t coming and His will isn’t being done here is it is in Heaven; then what am I
doing in Thailand?
How could I have walked the streets of the red light
district and became friends with prostitutes and loved the men who were
purchasing them without knowing and believing His Kingdom is coming. His
Kingdom has to come, His will here has to be done, and that is how we see Him
NOW. We get to see His fullness in Heaven and finally see more than a glimpse
of His plans, for that I praise Jesus. But if He isn’t bringing Kingdom to
Earth now, how will I know Him? How will I see where His heart is for His
people? How will I walk in power and authority believing He is moving right
this very moment?
Your Kingdom come, Your will be done is a prayer for now, not to just see His Kingdom when
we finally get to Heaven. But to see, live and bring it now.
He is a living and breathing God who wants to pour Himself out on everything that is not of His Kingdom—to replace every dark thing with His light, just as it is in Heaven.
Jesus tells us to say this, and not just to say it, but declare it. We declare it over
hopelessness, brokenness and emptiness because those things have no place in
the Kingdom of God. His heart is for His children to live out a constant state
of seeing Heaven come to Earth. I began to have a joyful restlessness for
seeing His Kingdom come while in Thailand. It created an immense excitement
within me to have hope in what the fullness of Heaven will be and the day I get
to sit in the fullness of my Father. But until then, He has called me to see
more of His heart by asking to see it, by calling it down. By asking that He
bring Himself and His Kingdom here and now, I know that is a prayer He will not
deny me. I am joyfully restless to see His Kingdom come.
As we pray for His Kingdom to come, we begin to walk in
confidence over darkness; knowing full well it has no place here. I was able to
declare “Your Kingdom come” over bars, women, men buying women, lady boys,
pimps, bar moms, children on the street, children in the slums; because I know
God is loving and spreading His light in them. He is invading the darkness, He
is jealous for His Kingdom to come to the hearts of every person and He wont
rest until they are His.
I was able to see His Kingdom come when healing occurred.
I was able to see His Kingdom come when girls from my team
taught English to girls working in the bars.
I was able to see His Kingdom come as my team met with girls
and grew amazing friendships with them.
I was able to see His Kingdom come when girls smiled and
laughed with us.
I was able to see His Kingdom come when people asked us what
was so different about us.
I was able to see His Kingdom come as I shared the Gospel
with a man sitting in a bar in the red light district.
I was able to see His Kingdom come when kids selling flowers
in the red light district played games with us and were able to simply be kids.
I was able to see His Kingdom come when God blessed me with
one of the best friendships with a sweet girl from the slums; whom I was later
able to share part of my testimony with and share the love of Christ with.
The desire of His heart is to see His Kingdom come here on Earth.
His Kingdom is constantly coming—look around,
celebrate it and ask God to bring more.
Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
"Kingdom" by Will Reagan
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