God of this City

This morning, we closed our worship service by singing God in this City. We stood together and sang:

You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're Lord Of this nation
You are
You're hope for the hopeless
You're light in the darkness
You're peace to the restless
You are
There is no one like our God

It was recorded by Chris Tomlin and the Passion worship band, but written by a band called Bluetree after traveling to Thailand. They had traveled to a place called Pattaya, home of 30,000 prostitutes (including many children), many probably sold into the sex trade. They had prayed for opportunities to speak into the lives of the people there. They were given an opportunity to play a two hour worship set in what amounted to a brothel. Out of brokenness of that place came this song.

We've sung it for a number of weeks now, and it always brings tears to my eyes to think of the brokenness and injustice in our world. Today, as we sang, my thoughts shifted to the election on Tuesday.

I've been thinking about it a lot lately. It's looking like we may very well have a President Obama. And it saddens me.

I'm not a person who thinks that God is a Republican. But I do very fervently believe that God hates abortion. I believe it is a great blot on our nation that over 40 million babies have been aborted since Roe v. Wade. So, on Tuesday, I will be casting my vote for life.

I don't understand the injustice that takes place in the world. I don't understand why 27 million people are enslaved across the world today--many of them young women and children caught in the global sex trade. I don't understand why babies are routinely ripped from their mothers wombs. I don't understand why some of those that survive this attempt on their lives are then left to die. I don't understand why, if things continue to go the way they seem to be going, abortion will very likely become more and more common. I feel like crying, "Lord, how long?"

We are called to be God's hands and feet in the world--to love our neighbors. I believe that this love is shown in many ways. Having mercy for the poor in our country and across the globe. Building relationships with people who are hurting. Loving the orphan and the widow. Giving generously to those who work to counteract the injustice. Voting.

These things are all important. They provide hope for a broken world. But the ultimate hope for the world is not in meeting its physical needs. It is in the gospel of Christ. This world will remain broken; justice will not always be done in this life. In sending his son to pay for our sin, He gave us hope even in the brokenness. He is our hope. Not rulers. Not nations. Whatever happens, he has the world in His hands. He causes nations to rise and fall and appoints rulers. Whether or not we understand his purposes, He is the God of this City.