The Hole in our Gospel Reading Program–Week Six

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Chapter Four: The Towering Pillars of Compassion and Justice

Kidnapping…trafficking…children forced to serve as violent soldiers…sexual exploitation…these horrifying acts of human degradation are nearly too gruesome to fathom. As Richard Stearns said, if Satan is alive and manifesting himself in our world, he is surely present in these places of horror.[1]

For many people the presence of such explicit evil is an indicator that there is no God in the world. Indeed, if God were alive and active how could He ever allow such atrocities to happen to innocent children?

I confess to staggering under the weight of that question. However, amid the dissonance between God’s love and the reality of evil, the strong voice of Scripture arises, calling every follower of Jesus Christ to care about the afflicted and move in response to their need.

Richard Stearns was privileged to preach at a chapel service for former child soldiers where the healing power of the Gospel was able to release its therapeutic effects. What will you and I do?

At this point in our reading we have prayed positioning prayers like, “Lord, use me where I’m needed most” and “Break my heart for what breaks yours.” As we continue through this book together let’s also ask for clarity about how, specifically, we can be an echo of God’s voice of compassion and justice for the world.