Compassion

Psalm 72

Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with jusitce.

May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor.
May he endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.

"Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You, have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for the kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity"

Poverty-stricken young women of Cambodia are forced into the sex trade for survival.
Survivors of tsunamis and earthquakes in South East Asia are still struggling to rebuild.
Clean water is hard to come by.
Somali children killed by landmines.
Vancouver, one of the most beautiful cities in Canada, has also the largest pocket of people struggling with addictions, prostitution, destituition, and rejection from society.

We enjoy beautiful relationships.
We have comfortable homes.
Our grass is frequently watered by clean water.
Our children are relatively safe and provided with education.
Vancouver's largest Holt Renfrew just opened downtown.
Christians continue to sit in churches on Sunday.
Where are we the other 6 days?
Are we making an impact in our communities?
Do we feel the urgency to have outstretched hands?
Are we willing to be stretched, challenged, pushed beyond what we are comfortable with?
Compassion.