Ann Voskamp's blog is like a daily soul-piercing. She manages to take beautiful photos and even more beautiful words and string them together... and as you read them your soul is laid bare and your heart convicted and repentance falls like tears and inspiration strengthens you to be more of Jesus in the world.
It's so convicting that I can't read it daily; it rends my heart too much. But I read it today, and was reminded of a sermon my mom recently preached on suffering. It's the question that keeps so many people turned away from Christ. What about suffering? What about this "good" God who allows suffering on earth? What has He done about all this pain? What is He doing about all this injustice?
The answer is complicated, and there are a few pieces of answers that have given me roots. The one Ann describes is the same one my mom preached.
The answer is Him.
The answer is me.
The answer is you.
He is the answer.
We are the answer.
God sent His only son to be a sacrifice. To pay the penalty for everything suffered on earth, in any age. The justice that a parent demands when their four-year old is killed on the sidewalk outside their home by a drunk driver...the price for that sin was paid by His blood. The justice that is demanded for children shot in a school yard in America, or children sacrificed to idols in India, or sold into the sex trade in Japan... (Yes, these are still happening today; I personally know missionaries who can verify). The price for these too have been paid. We demand a penalty. We demand someone to suffer for this injustice. We demand someone to die for the life stolen too soon.
Someone did.
His life was freely given in place of the life of the murderer. His body was torn in place of the body of the perpetrator. He experienced in His flesh and with His life the pain, suffering, death, and penalty we demand. Even God demands. A Holy God demands a payment for sin. Then He provided the payment with His son.
Not only demanding justice, we also demand a solution. As does a Loving God. Someone to heal the sickness, provide water for the thirsty, set free those in captivity.
That someone is me.
I am to care for the ill, feed the hungry, visit the lonely, invite the broken into my home. It cannot be done by me alone, but I can do my part.
There are thousands of hospitals and tens of thousands of organizations, founded by Christians who took seriously the call to be the solution. In our city alone, we have several Baptist hospitals, a Methodist hospital, and several Catholic hospitals. They're not churches. They're hospitals. Because someone was trying to BE the solution. To DO SOMETHING about all this suffering. Perhaps now they have morphed into big business, which is sad. But while Benjamin was in one a couple years ago, we were visited by staff chaplains who prayed with us.
And while my heart bleeds for those without clean water (about which I did something), and those starving and those without education, there are also needs close to home for which I can be the answer.
I just have to get outside the box of ME (my needs, my wants, my space, my time) and walk with Jesus where He wants me to walk. Love the people He's put in my life for me to love. Even when they're the hardest people I know to love.
Because sometimes I think it would be easier to be serving on the mission field than to be serving in my church, or in my home. I forget there is great need right here where I am. There are sick people and abused people and lonely people...
Lord, give me the grace to spend my life for Your cause. Being the answer You're trying to give the world. I am failing so miserably. I need Your heart, Your eyes, Your ears, break me, change me, mold me.
