::.towards less of me.::

thoughts from a heart trying to live for God's glory

Monday, November 14, 2005

Hotel Rwanda

Tonight, I watched the movie Hotel Rwanda.
I don't really have the right words to describe my emotions...
Anger. How can people kill so hatefully? So heinously? How can the West have stayed so damn silent while millions suffered and died in Rwanda?
Grief. Entire families were wiped out and left dead on the open road for everyone to see. Innocent people. Brothers, sister, mothers, aunts, fathers, friends.
Guilt. How can I be satisfied selling coffee and watching rich children get new toys and coming up with new theological theories? Can I justify two years in seminary when there is terrible injustice going on all around me?
Incomprehension. How can God even bear to look down upon this? How can there be so much injustice in a world that He has created and willed into being?
Brokeness. God - what can I do? what can we do? bring me out of selfishness. help me be a peacemaker. a comforter. a bearer of justice.

One line hit me hard. A journalist in the story says "even if the horror is portrayed and shown in the media, the people will watch, and say "how horrible". Then they'll go back to eating their dinner".

I found this prayer as I was researching the current situation in Sudan... It is one of the most beautiful prayers I have ever read.
May God bless you with discomfort,
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial
relationships,

So that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger,
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of
people,

So that you may work for justice, freedom, and
peace.


May God bless you with tears,
To shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation,
and war,

So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn
their pain to joy.


And may God bless you with enough foolishness,
To believe that you can make a difference in this
world,

So that you can do what others claim cannot be
done.

Amen.

posted by Thais at 6:13 PM

3 Comments:

Blogger Tara Bussema said...

one of my YFC friends said that THIS movie should be the one Christians are freaking out about instead of The Passion.

10:42 PM  
Blogger Thais said...

I think your friend is totally right. I was happy to learn that they showed it at a Crossroads youth group recently (they showed The Passion earlier on this year...).

12:34 PM  
Blogger Josh said...

Amen. I'm having some of the same feelings after this conference in Indianapolis. I feel like God ripped apart my nice little theological categories. That prayer is right on. I'm gonna steal it for my blog :)

3:44 PM  

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Name: Thais
Location: Switzerland

in seminary and loving it.

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