Consumerism, affluenza, greed...
Anger, grudges, fear...
Selfishness, loneliness, barrenness...
Hunger, thirst, longing...
Pain; deep, searing pain...
The truth is that this is the world in which I live.
In this world husbands cheat on their wives.
In this world children are sexually abused.
In this world mothers lose their babies.
In this world loved ones die of cancer.
In this world friends are addicted.
Suffering is all too real.
It is easy to get trapped
in the nets of this world.
It is easy to get lost
in
the darkness.
There must be more to this world...
Lord, please let there be more to
this world!
If this is all there is to this world
I
surely will die.
Jesus Christ came into this world:
Jesus, the Light of the World.
Jesus, the son of Mary.
Jesus, the Redeemer.
The truth is that Jesus changed everything about this world.
The blind can see, the deaf can hear,
the lame can leap for joy.
The lost are found, the hungry are fed,
the
imprisoned are set free.
This is also the world in which I live –
a
world full of life!
And I get to choose...
the
darkness or
the
light,
death,
or
life.
I choose the light.
I choose life.
I choose Jesus Christ.
In this world the woman caught in the act of adultery
is
set free.
“Go,
and sin no more.”
In this world the thief on the cross next to Jesus
is
set free.
“Today
you will be with me in paradise.”
In this world, broken people stumble their way
to
the foot of the cross
and experience
forgiveness.
In this world, hungry people find their way
to
the Lord’s Table
and
experience mercy.
In this world, lonely people find their way
to
the community of faith
and
experience communion.
In this world, people from all walks of life
find
their way to Jesus
and experience grace.
You ask about the world in which I live?
I
live in the world of light.
I
live with the Good News of Jesus.
I
live as part of the body of Christ.
I love this world –
this world that is overwhelmed with
suffering,
this world that is drenched in
love,
this
world that is overcome through compassion.
You ask about the world in which I live –
I live in this world
in
all it’s beauty and brokenness.
I live in this world
full
of saints and sinners.
And I wouldn’t trade the gift of this world – God’s world –
for
anything.
