I haven't been on in awhile, and it's time I start writing about justice again.
I was watching the footage of the trip this year awhile back, and there was a day we were leaving the camp and were reluctant to do so. And that made me excited. What hit me though, and jars me every time I listen to the video is one of the other leaders saying "they're in God's hands. Be strong" so that we'd put down the kids and leave.
Before I go on let me just make VERY clear that I don't have any problems with the leader. I think she's awesome for the youth group and was a serious blessing to have on the trip. So I'm not hating on you if you read this! :) You just made me think.
It hit me why that statement bothered beyond the fact that we had to leave in that moment. Why it still bothers me. It comes down to the understanding I have of what it means to be the body of Christ. We are God's hands. Not that He can't work without us, but His mission is to work through His body. It's how He's functioned throughout history. He works, but very often He uses people. Even in doing great miracles, He had people involved. People marched around Jericho. Moses raised his staff to the Red Sea. David fought Goliath. Gideon attacked his enemies. Need I go on into the New Testament where people were healed and demons were driven out by the apostles? God works through His body. It is possible for those kids to know and follow Jesus without us. I believe that. But how much more might they grow if we are there more.
Something that I've often felt bitter against God about, is not being a physical being He doesn't hug. I don't dismiss it when something happens and people say "that was a hug from God", that's great. For them. But for me, I want an actual physical squeeze. It's just who I am and one of the ways I feel loved. And my point in bringing that up, is that it dawned on me God can give actual physical hugs - through His body that He has set up here on this earth called the church. And in regard to the migrant kids - when we were holding them they were in a really tangible way in God's hands. Not only that, but when I was holding their hand, or being hugged back, God was touching me through them.
As I said, I don't believe for a second when we left the camps, God abandoned them. But just in considering that statement..."they're in God's hands, be strong", I think there's a danger in undervaluing the role God has us playing. As Tucker Fitzgerald once said, and I'm paraphrasing, "God's plan to reach the world is us, and He doesn't have a plan B."
Let's own up to the responsibility that God has entrusted us with. Wherever we are. Whoever is vulnerable and needs a hand of intercession, let's be God's hands to them. I need to do this. When someone is hurting and needs a hug, let's be God's hands. When some kids who have nothing need someone to pull them up and show them that their worth is not dependent on stuff, let's be those hands. When a sinner feels too broken to be loved by a Holy God, let's be His hands embracing them and telling them that they aren't too far gone for His grace. Would you really want to live life any differently?
I was watching the footage of the trip this year awhile back, and there was a day we were leaving the camp and were reluctant to do so. And that made me excited. What hit me though, and jars me every time I listen to the video is one of the other leaders saying "they're in God's hands. Be strong" so that we'd put down the kids and leave.
Before I go on let me just make VERY clear that I don't have any problems with the leader. I think she's awesome for the youth group and was a serious blessing to have on the trip. So I'm not hating on you if you read this! :) You just made me think.
It hit me why that statement bothered beyond the fact that we had to leave in that moment. Why it still bothers me. It comes down to the understanding I have of what it means to be the body of Christ. We are God's hands. Not that He can't work without us, but His mission is to work through His body. It's how He's functioned throughout history. He works, but very often He uses people. Even in doing great miracles, He had people involved. People marched around Jericho. Moses raised his staff to the Red Sea. David fought Goliath. Gideon attacked his enemies. Need I go on into the New Testament where people were healed and demons were driven out by the apostles? God works through His body. It is possible for those kids to know and follow Jesus without us. I believe that. But how much more might they grow if we are there more.
Something that I've often felt bitter against God about, is not being a physical being He doesn't hug. I don't dismiss it when something happens and people say "that was a hug from God", that's great. For them. But for me, I want an actual physical squeeze. It's just who I am and one of the ways I feel loved. And my point in bringing that up, is that it dawned on me God can give actual physical hugs - through His body that He has set up here on this earth called the church. And in regard to the migrant kids - when we were holding them they were in a really tangible way in God's hands. Not only that, but when I was holding their hand, or being hugged back, God was touching me through them.
As I said, I don't believe for a second when we left the camps, God abandoned them. But just in considering that statement..."they're in God's hands, be strong", I think there's a danger in undervaluing the role God has us playing. As Tucker Fitzgerald once said, and I'm paraphrasing, "God's plan to reach the world is us, and He doesn't have a plan B."
Let's own up to the responsibility that God has entrusted us with. Wherever we are. Whoever is vulnerable and needs a hand of intercession, let's be God's hands to them. I need to do this. When someone is hurting and needs a hug, let's be God's hands. When some kids who have nothing need someone to pull them up and show them that their worth is not dependent on stuff, let's be those hands. When a sinner feels too broken to be loved by a Holy God, let's be His hands embracing them and telling them that they aren't too far gone for His grace. Would you really want to live life any differently?
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