Provoked to Redeem

I have been fairly quiet on the blog for a little while, but for a measured reason. I have been instructed to abide by my word of the year, #FOCUS, and for the past few weeks I have been wrapped up in another word: #JUSTICE.

I have spent the last month working slowly through a book, The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns.  This has launched me on a journey of self-discovery that will shape my discussion on this blog for the months to come. I have spent much of the past year writing about God moving in my life, how he encourages me, lifts me, and walks with me. I have also discussed the nature of broken humanity in the midst of some tragic media stories, including Jerry Sandusky.

In addition to these writings on how God works in our hearts, I have not wrote much on how God touches the world. I sprinkle in a few stories here and there about the water crisis, but I have learned that injustice is everywhere, and we have been privileged to take up this cause. (Yes, privileged, not burdened. This is a thought that I will build out in a later posting.)

I have to admit that I was initially peeved at Richard Stearns' title.  I thought it was audacious to title a book in such a provocative way and was initially put off due to a perception of arrogance.  The title seemed to assert that we had gotten it all wrong up to this point and Richard had the answer.

But get just a few pages into the prologue and introduction, and I did indeed see his humility. I read that he had seen poverty, rejection, brokenness firsthand. He looked HIV/AIDS square in the eyes when he saw this disease take two parents and leave three boys orphaned without a sparkle in his eye. "Where was the Church?" he asked himself.

This book does not diminish the work of churches to preach the gospel of salvation, which is quite important as God wants each of our hearts. However, He also wants each of our hearts to break for what breaks His heart.  This means that our hearts and our faith are moved into action to work against the forces of injustice in the world.

The title is provocative, but so is God.  But more importantly, I have been provoked, and as such I will share with you in this coming year. Thanks for climbing on board for yet another journey. Thanks for being among the ripples that are affected by my Drop in the Sea.

Video rights go to GospelQuest, an organization that promotes the integration of justice along with faith into the church.