Justice

Greetings,

Yesterday the church "talked" with some missionaries we support who are working in northern Thailand. Our friends were standing on a bridge in the jungle at midnight talking to us as we comfortably sat in our padded church chairs in our air conditioned sanctuary here in Grand Junction. Technology is amazing and yesterday it proved very convicting to me and hopefully to our church body. Our friends are saving Burmese refugee children from starvation, death, disease..... Many of the children are orphans and need a safe place to live and to be loved. In Isaiah, God tells his people through the prophet that He is tired of our meaningless offerings. In 1:14, God tells us that "They (offerings) have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them." It is interesting that often the very things we "bring" to God to offer Him are things that he bears as a heavy load instead of things that bless and please Him.

Later in that same chapter the prophet tells me what does please God. "Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." I am not sure I know of any passage that has such a severe impact on me. I have to ask if I am learning to do right, especially when it comes to seeking justice and defending the orphan and pleading the case of the widow. As I wrestle with this, I know I can do one thing right this week--support my friends in Thailand with a financial gift. They are an extension of the American church as they serve the fatherless and the widows fleeing the Burmese govermnment troops.

I can easily become paralized by all the needs. The phone call yesterday shocked me out of my paralysis and moved me to some action... Look at our world through the eyes of Jesus and do something for the cause of justice in the world.

Blessings and joy,

Rob