This past summer at a youth Camp, the theme was "Broken." I thought it was an excellent theme! Now, more than ever, we (Christians) could use a little brokenness. Why?
* Our family members are lost
* Our friends are lost
....and hell is real.
* People are starving
....and we are well fed.
* People are lonely and abandoned
...and we have friends and family
While we text, play on Facebook, surf through YouTube and go to and from school, college and work with parties and dates on the brain, millions are reaching out and crying for help. We don't hear. Why? Because we're not broken. Our hearts are cold, not warm. Our lives are built around us, not others. Our mind is saturated with self, not consumed with Christlikeness. We don't cry unless there's been a broken relationship or something to that effect. We certainly don't weep for the lost, or for those kept in bondage to sin. ...maybe it's because we enjoy a little sin on the side ourself.
At Camp, I was moved seeing dozens at the alter. I wept. I wept for others and I wept for myself. And I walked away changed. But I saw others weep too. I saw big brothers cling to their younger siblings as tears streamed down their face. I saw girls weep at the alter for hours. I saw young men praying, crying, shaking with grief and sorrow.
I saw brokenness. Or at least, I thought I did. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was all an emotional experience. Maybe it was a bit of a stirring....a moving. But certainly not a changing.
Think about it.
IF there had been a change, would they be drinking every Friday night?
IF there had been a change, would couples still be sleeping with one another?
IF there had been a change, would Facebook statuses still reek with foul language and impurity of every kind?
IF there was a change, would there be a willingness to compromise?
NO!!
* Our family members are lost
* Our friends are lost
....and hell is real.
* People are starving
....and we are well fed.
* People are lonely and abandoned
...and we have friends and family
While we text, play on Facebook, surf through YouTube and go to and from school, college and work with parties and dates on the brain, millions are reaching out and crying for help. We don't hear. Why? Because we're not broken. Our hearts are cold, not warm. Our lives are built around us, not others. Our mind is saturated with self, not consumed with Christlikeness. We don't cry unless there's been a broken relationship or something to that effect. We certainly don't weep for the lost, or for those kept in bondage to sin. ...maybe it's because we enjoy a little sin on the side ourself.
At Camp, I was moved seeing dozens at the alter. I wept. I wept for others and I wept for myself. And I walked away changed. But I saw others weep too. I saw big brothers cling to their younger siblings as tears streamed down their face. I saw girls weep at the alter for hours. I saw young men praying, crying, shaking with grief and sorrow.
I saw brokenness. Or at least, I thought I did. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was all an emotional experience. Maybe it was a bit of a stirring....a moving. But certainly not a changing.
Think about it.
IF there had been a change, would they be drinking every Friday night?
IF there had been a change, would couples still be sleeping with one another?
IF there had been a change, would Facebook statuses still reek with foul language and impurity of every kind?
IF there was a change, would there be a willingness to compromise?
NO!!
From where I'm sitting, there weren't that many people broken. And along with the ache and burden that puts on my heart, there is also a fear. A fear of what God might bring to break His people. If the enslaved don't break us, if the alcohol and drug addictions don't break us, if the compromising and justifying Christians don't break us..... and if the lost millions don't break us...
....What WILL break us?
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