“Do you know what I want? I want justice – oceans of it. I want fairness – rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.” Amos 5.24 (Message)

In reading this verse, my heart and my thoughts immediately go to the horrific and ceaseless news bombarding us recently from Syria, and the Middle East.  Thousands upon thousands of our brothers and sisters, living in fear of the violent persecution that has not only plagued their history, but continues with even greater evil in their present day.

SEE ALSO: THE SYRIA CHURCH RESPONSE

In our own lives here at home, we have such a rich experience of Jesus- when we worship him with absolute freedom in prayer, in song and in fellowship with other believers at church – it’s like we can tangibly feel the presence of our Heavenly Father. He meets us in the reality of life today…the beauty and the mess. And the more I worship, the more I want to worship.  And yet, it would be iniquitous to worship God for all He is, and ignore WHO He is, and what he cares about most – people.

I guess that’s why Isaiah, when talking about the kind of worship God desires, says this:

“This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I’m interested in seeing you do is; sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.” (Message Is 58:6-9)

You see, the kind of worship God desires is one that not only kneels before the Father in adoration but that also kneels to love those in need… The poor, the sick, the broken- people right here at home, people that live in foreign lands- “people” are what move the heart of the Father.

My prayer today is that the hands we lift to God in worship each Sunday, would be the very same hands that touch the real (and sometimes messy) lives of His people…the poor, the desperate, the beautiful- that none should perish and all might one day stand and WORSHIP in His presence.

With Love,

Brian