62

Psalm 10:17-18 (Amplified Bible)

O Lord, You have heard the desire and the longing of the humble and oppressed; You will prepare and strengthen and direct their hearts, You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man, who is of the earth, may not terrify them any more.

This verse brings me huge pieces of hope. This is it: pure hope amidst our world of absurd injustice. It not only offers us the anchor of hope, which is unseen, but God promises actual help: real help to the broken and lost and defenseless ones in our big- wide-lonely-overpopulated world. My best friends just got back from a week long UNICEF trip and last night, as we were talking about their time away and the things they saw and experienced, the usual feelings of awe and discouragement and "what can we do?" mixed with a little bit of hope and relief upon hearing of the good things that God and good people are doing in the world, crept into all of our hearts and minds. They talked about how the children and teachers and leaders they visited laid out quite plainly what they need from UNICEF and you and me to attempt to fix their lives, their government, their schools, their families, their worlds. And picture God's ear pressed against their lips and precious hearts. His heart breaks for those with no voice, no money and no power to help themselves. He then tells us (those with a little more power and money), to go and do it. Go educate people, get educated yourself, become aware, send your money, go visit countries with nothing, be a voice of peace and comfort to those living in paralyzing fear, tell rich people to give their money away to those who need it.

If you feel called to go to poor, sick places and be a consistent presence with the afflicted, then my goodness what are you waiting for? Go! You will never feel fulfilled without giving it a go. If your heart breaks for the fatherless, afflicted, abused, oppressed, terrified (as all of God's children's hearts should) but maybe not to live among them, then fix the problems from where you're standing. If you have never really thought about it, then ask God to break your heart for countries that a frightened and suffering. Become aware by reading, researching and asking people who are globally aware.

Our world is a chaotic mess. We have the answer of hope and freedom. We have a God who values justice and freedom more than anything. Picture Jesus walking with the disabled, the children, the outcasts, the homeless, the prostitutes... He adored them.

You have Jesus and all that you need to fix things. Go and set people free in the best practical way you can think of. Go in Jesus' name.

I had to include this version because it's beautiful.
Psalm 10:17-18 (The Message)
"The victim's faint pulse picks up; the hearts of the hopeless pump red blood as you put your ear to their lips. Orphans get parents, the homeless get homes. The reign of terror is over, the rule of the gang lords is ended."