There Will Come a Day

History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.  Martin Luther King, Jr.

I was at a Farmer’s Market last weekend and one of our regular customers came by to see us.  His wife has been struggling with illness and many times we told him we would be praying for her.  Although she struggles to walk, several times over the years she has come to visit us at our booth using a walker or in a wheelchair.  On this visit he came by himself because he said his wife was doing so much better that she had taken a trip to visit her family.  

As we were talking I asked him if he works and what does he do.  He is very soft spoken and I can understand why he would need to be with the type of work he does.  He said he counsels children who are involved in human trafficking.  He made several statements that stuck with me.  He said, “Many times this is going on right in front of us and we don’t realize it,” and then he said, “even here”.  “Even here” meant right at the market and in our neighborhoods.  He then said, “Many people who live in small towns think their children are safe from human traffickers, but that isn’t true.  Sometimes these are the easiest places to get to children because we believe our children are safe in a small tight knit community.”

It struck me that many of us live in an insulated world.  Sometimes tragedy is going on all around us and we don’t even realize it.  There are people in need all around us and we don’t even know it.  

As I was driving to work I heard a song that touched on this and all the other tragedies in this world.  The song is sung by Faith Hill called “There Will Come a Day”.   Several verses describe the world we live in today and the world to come.  I can’t wait to walk down the streets of gold with the voices of earth and angels singing and where every knee will bow to the One who saves us.

Wars are raging
Lives are scattered
Innocence is lost
And hopes are shattered
The old are forgotten
The children are forsaken
In this world we're living in
Isn't anything sacred

There's a better place
Where our Father waits
And every tear
He'll wipe away
The darkness will be gone
The weak shall be strong
Hold on to your faith
There will come a day
There will come a day

Song will ring out
Down those golden streets
The voices of earth
The angels will sing
Every knee will bow
Sin will have no trace
In the glory of His amazing grace
Every knee will bow
Sin will have no trace
In the glory of His amazing grace
There will come a day

Lyrics by Diane Warren, Aimee Mayo & William Luther

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, we live in a world where war, famine, hate and children forgotten and abused are the norm.  When I start to become immune to the tragedies occurring around me, my heart will become hard. Help me to open my eyes to the suffering around me and to be brave enough to take a stand for You. I picture in my mind a place where sorrow and pain are no more and we will walk down the streets of gold where everyone will bow their knee and sing praises to You for your amazing grace.  

       

Scripture: All Things Made New

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:1-8