Maranatha

I consider myself to be blessed.  I have an apartment, a job, and enough ramen noodles to keep me from starving to death.  I have a family who loves me and a church that feeds my soul.  I enjoy my life.  But I look around and see so much pain in the world.  I see young men who feel the need to get tough with their girlfriends because their father was never present.  I see young women who think that having sex is the only way to experience the kind of love they never received as little girls.  I see children who don't get enough to eat because their parents can't get a job.  This pain in the world breaks my heart and leaves me crying out "Come quickly, Lord!"

 

Today is Blog Action Day in which various and sundry blogs are teaming up to focus attention on the issue of poverty, a subject about which the bible has a lot to say.  I find it interesting that the Bible begins in a garden where God provides humanity with food.  And it ends in Heaven at a great wedding feast.  God, from beginning to end, is concerned with something as mundane as food. 

 

Of course, after the Fall and before the Judgment, God's provision of food works a little differently.  Because of the curse it's a lot harder to get food.  So God now provides through his people.  As Christians we are called, not simply to wait for the Kingdom of Heaven, but to work to establish it now.  Will we ever be able to end poverty?  Will we ever be able to feed all the world's hungry?  No.  But one day God will fully establish his perfect Kingdom and personally wipe away every tear.  Until that day, as his church, let us work with him toward that goal.  As his hands can we not begin now wiping away the tears caused by poverty and hunger?  Can we not offer a little food, a drink of water, or warm coat?  As simple as they may be, these small steps toward the Kingdom are important to the God of the universe.

 

Even though our hearts are broken by the pain in this world, we can work to end it.  And even though we know we will never be able to fully end the pain, there is still one more thing we can do--pray.  Come quickly, Lord!