i’ve been ruminating on this since our trip to haiti.
i was able to verbalize some of it during worship on sunday, but talking through it in more detail at our life group tonight helped me clarify it even more.
the last few years, God has really been teaching me about the Kingdom of God. this was jesus’ whole message.
throughout the entire scriptures there are beautiful pictures of what the kingdom will look like when it’s fully established:
everyone has what they need.
people will enjoy satisfying work and will reap the benefits of their work. (plant vineyards, and eat of the vineyards.)
the rich won’t get rich on the backs of the poor.
the poor won’t react in fear and aggression to the rich.
the wolf will lie down with the lamb.
many more pictures…
i think above all for me, our trip to haiti illustrated two things that are in contrast to one another and this contrast left me with a lasting struggle.
on one hand, i got to see the kingdom of god in action in the way that the kids at HCH have been rescued, redeemed, reclaimed. this invigorated my faith and trust in God’s promise to usher in his kingdom.
on the other hand, i got to see the struggle that characterizes the life of the average haitian. poverty at a level i haven’t experienced before first-hand.
it was a painful reminder of how far we have yet to go to see the kingdom fully realized. this pulled me in the direction of hopelessness or despair.
i now realize that i have the choice:
to give in to hopelessness and resign myself to complacency, thinking that i can invest my entire life and still never see the kingdom come,
or to choose to believe that God is presently and always on the move, bringing about his kingdom, his plan for redemption and repair.
really it’s the only hope. and i won’t see it fully realized in my lifetime, but i’m in a long line of people who are giving their lives for this vision, trusting that it WILL happen.
i want to be a part of it. i don’t want to waste my life.
these are madamme lucianne’s kids. she is a single mother struggling to survive and take care of her kids.
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July 29, 2008 at 9:20 am
Charissa
Thank you Stephen…I have been struggling with this in my heart for months but not fully understanding where my grief was coming from. Even though I have not gone to Haiti, I have felt this struggle deeply, I can only imagine what it’s like after having been there first hand.
Thank you for your point of view and for being God’s mouth for my ears to hear!