Heart sick

I am reading a heartbreaking book, for the third time.  I read it, break, cry, commit to staying broken....than I forget.  I find myself wrapped right back up in selfishness, consumerism, apathy.  Apathy is frightening.  It is the why behind indifference.  Indifference is worse than hate.  It is feeling nothing about a person or thing. 

The book is "The Hole in our Gospel" by Richard Stearns, President of World Vision U.S..  If you dare to read this book it will likely be one of the most potentially life changing books you will ever read.  Even if you are not a Christ follower.  If, as I am, you are committed to following our King, then you will break.  The challenge is to stay broken.

Pray daily for your heart to break for the things that break His heart. 

The Gospel has the power to change the world, but not if all we do is read it, and fail to live it.  The power of the Gospel truth is in the heart change that results from choosing the Christian life.  Many who say they have chosen it will find themselves in hell.  Choosing Christ results in a changed heart, hands, and soul.  If there is no fruit, the faith is a lie.  It does not happen in an instant.  It is up and down, light and dark, joy and pain. 

At times I feel so like Jesus is my best friend, at others I feel a wall between that I just can't seem to remove.  I pray and plead with Him to come close.  I trust that this season has a reason in His greater Glory, and that He will bring me through, like Job.  But I hate feeling apart from Him. 

What does our Creator expect of us here on earth?  We are to act, we are His hands and feet on earth, today! 

Christ has no body on earth but yours,

no hands but yours,

no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which

Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.

-Saint Teresa of Avila

What are you doing for Christ?

Are we loving our neighbors as ourselves?  Who is your neighbor?  In this current age, everyone in the world is your neighbor.  Help them. 

People should be able to hear, see and feel God's love through us. 

There are almost 2000 verses in our Bible that deal with poverty and justice.  It is a big issue.  It is of utmost importance to God.  Why do we ignore it?  Being nice is not enough.   Not all of us have to give it all away, but if He asks us to it should be a pleasure.  Would it be a pleasure to you if God asked you to give all of your possessions away?  Who do you serve?

Our family is examining just what God wants of us.  We know we aren't doing enough.

Mr. Stearns asked himself a tough question when deciding if he would take a job with World Vision, "What if my cowardice costs even one child somewhere in the world his or her life?" 

Which one would it be okay to see starve to death, or die of malaria, or be sold into prostitution?

I'm asking that of my family, and asking God the Father to break our hearts for what breaks His. 

Now I know that at least one person who reads this will say, "that's a bit much!".  So you think God is a God of mediocrity?  You think He is okay with the fact that the divide between rich and poor is growing, not shrinking?  Read your Bible.

Should be an interesting year!