Monday, November 12, 2007

Rudy


On November 11 I was in Manhattan. Standing on 5th Avenue, Rudy Guliani walked by me. He was all by himself - no wife, no aides, no security. He went into a tie store. He came out and took a picture with me, Peg Blair and Melony Burgess. It happened so fast. To say it was a cool moment is an understatement. This was huge for me, because I get excited when I take pictures with local politicians - the type that are so local, they give out their cell phone numbers. This was a whole new level - a thrill for me and my friends. Rudy was a very nice man.

Monday, November 5, 2007

Break My Heart For What Breaks Yours


A song that has meant a lot to our church this year is a song titled Hosanna by Brook Fraser. One of the lines in that song always grips me.

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 your kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity

The phrase “Break my heart for what breaks yours” is a bold prayer and declaration. I sing this line with energy because I want this to be true. But, I am not so naïve to believe I understand what this prayer means.

Here is what I understand so far. The things that break God’s heart are the things most people have no interest in. God’s heart is breaking for injustices. His heart breaks over the greed of the nations. His heart is breaking over the systems of power that keep people in oppression. His heart is breaking over genocide. God’s heart is breaking over the condition of His church. God’s heart is breaking over the weakness of His people.

God’s heart is breaking over things we aren’t concerned with. God’s heart is breaking over things we won’t honestly admit. So, I keep sing that line with hopes that I have the capacity in my heart to live out the reality of this prayer.