Today at lunch, Adrienne and I were sitting talking over the Wesley to do list and everything that needs to happen before the semester ends including our Human Trafficking cultural event, Imagine No Malaria event and the Harlem Mission trip. We were enjoying lunch and then Matisyahu’s song “One Day” came on the radio. We both stopped and listened and sat there wondering where we had heard this song. Finally we remembered that we heard it on the Tom’s One Day without shoes video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BitShRujoeA
It is a really catchy song and something that is saying really great words. Below is a video that has the words and I’ve also included them below.
Right now, my amazingly wonderful sister-in-law is in labor for my niece. We’re all really excited. Josh picked me up at 5:45 this morning for all of us to go over there. I was honored to be apart of it and I’m looking forward to heading back over there. When I think about the world that baby KLM (they haven’t told us the names, just the initials) is going to grow up in, or the world where my children will grow up, so many thoughts run through my head. I would like to think like this song that one day there will be no more war. One day there will be no more fighting. One day there will be no more hungry. One day there will be no more malaria. One day there will be no more modern day slavery or human trafficking of any kind. One day…
Outside of the Church Center building across from the UN is a quote from Isaiah on the wall.
Isaiah 2:4 says what is written on this wall, “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, netierh shall they learn war any more.” Micah 4:3 echoes this.
I remember in a meeting long ago, some clergy using Jesus’ words “the poor are always with us” as a reason for us to not work as hard as we could for justice, because they believed the poor were just a natural part of life. (Yep the verse is in Mark 14:7, Matthew 26:11, and John 12:8) Yes, Jesus said it. And if you want to take things out of context, I guess you could justify a pompous and self-righteous attitude about it, but Jesus didn’t work to bring about a kingdom that is just to come, but one that is also alive and well right here. The already and not yet. Jesus brought release to the captives and healing to the sick. And part of what we do as disciples of Jesus is work to bring light and love and God’s grace to all that they may see and know that the Lord is good.
I had dinner with a couple of students last night and they were asking me about some of the things they’ve learned in one of their Human Experience classes about faith. They asked about doing mission trips and service and if that was what Jesus wanted and if that would make them a better Christian. We talked for a while about work’s righteousness and how you don’t “earn” your salvation, but that in my mind acts of justice and mercy naturally grow and flow out of a love of God. We even talked about the lovely Wesley’s personal piety and social holiness. Yep, there’s something about that thing between us and God – that devotion, quiet time, meditation, getting away and centering on God, prayer, scripture study – that’s important. But that social holiness aspect is equally as important. They were saying that people in their classes questioned their faith and if they were hypocrites for believing both evolution and creationism. You could argue for days on personal belief/piety. Both personal piety and social holiness are things that the world can clearly see. They can see if we are at peace and content. They can see if we’re centered and grounded. They can see if we’re leaving out what we say. They can see if we’re offering a coat or a meal or a hug with a string attached or not. They can see if there’s an ulterior motive or a justification or a rationalization on our part.
To me, what the world is hungry for, is not just people shoving beliefs down their throat but people living it out. To the people that are going to be hesitant, unbelieving and sometimes obnoxious – that’s their opinion. Maybe they’ve had some bad experiences with “Christians.” They can’t tell you how you feel or what you believe and they can’t take your God/Jesus/Holy Spirit from you. But we can answer honestly and openly with humility and confidence that the God we know and trust and love is One who is calling us forth to new life. The God we know and trust and love is one who knows that one day there will be no more war, no more tears, no more struggle, no more disease, no more fear, no more…. One day.
May we work for this “One day,” not because we “have to” or we won’t be “good enough” Christians if we don’t, but because we want to and we’re called to and if we believe this Jesus is who he says he is and if we believe that this kingdom of God is happening right here all around us, let’s make it a reality.
What do you hope for one day???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl9voSKJmEU
One Day by Matisyahu
sometimes I lay
under the moon
and thank God I’m breathing
then I pray
don’t take me soon
cause I am here for a reason
sometimes in my tears I drown
but I never let it get me down
so when negativity surrounds
I know some day it’ll all turn around
because
all my life I’ve been waiting for
I’ve been praying for
for the people to say
that we don’t wanna fight no more
they’ll be no more wars
and our children will play
one day
it’s not about
win or lose cause
we all lose
when they feed on the souls of the innocent
blood drenched pavement
keep on moving though the waters stay raging
in this maze you can lose your way (your way)
it might drive you crazy but don’t let it faze you no way (no way)
sometimes in my tears I drown
but I never let it get me down
so when negativity surrounds
I know some day it’ll all turn around
because
all my life I’ve been waiting for
I’ve been praying for
for the people to say
that we don’t wanna fight no more
they’ll be no more wars
and our children will play
one day
one day this all will change
treat people the same
stop with the violence
down with the hate
one day we’ll all be free
and proud to be
under the same sun
singing songs of freedom like
one day
all my life I’ve been waiting for
I’ve been praying for
for the people to say
that we don’t wanna fight no more
they’ll be no more wars
and our children will play
Blessings on the Journey 