out of sight out of mind

last friday on our way to drop off miss maddie at school
we drove by the bridge.
it's the one on mission and hwy 12 by the 7 11.
they put a fence up so no one could go down there
near the 711 store
but obviously people can still go down there.
as we were slowing down
maddie said, "look... there's a guy sleeping."
and as i looked closer i could barely make out
a man snuggled up in a sleeping bag
hidden by the brush and sound asleep
cars whizzing by.
we've been down there several times.
prayed with several people
and salvations have happened there.
after i dropped maddie off this morning
i looked up and saw the clouds covering the city
and thought about how GOD covers us
and just thinking about the homeless again
and the broken hearted.
if JESUS wants our mercy not our sacrifice...
it is MORE than my responsibility to not just
take my kids and family to church...
because the broken hearted and homeless
are not there...
"the least of these" become persons
who are out of sight and out of mind...
are there people in church who are broken hearted?
sure...
on any given day at any particular service there absolutely
may be...
but i've found that as a mom it's important
to have the eyes of a child when i'm driving around
this city...
the kind of eyes who sees those who are hidden
sleeping under bridges or hiding in the bushes
or in the backs of parking lots
or near the baja fresh on a sunday afternoon
and stop... pray... feed... clothe...
no excuses...
be the church.
mercy.
when i only had to get the kids to church
what an easy thing it was...
i had to sacrifice my sleeping in, my breakfast in bed
or my saturday night movie...
i had to think about what to wear
and what time i was to volunteer...
now that my eyes are open
it's required everything...
much more than sacrificing comfort...
or my time...
it's about having and giving mercy...
and it's what is required...
reasonable service...
nothing great...
but reasonable.
will you pray for my children and yours?

Father God,
I praise YOU on this day, oh GOD!
I thank YOU for your covering on this day
that extends far beyond the clouds in the skies!
I love YOU LORD and I ask forgiveness of my sins~
I thank YOU JESUS that you came to heal the brokenhearted
and gave us direction as to how we are to conduct ourselves
while on this earth~
no greater example will there be!
Hallelujah!
Your mercy reigns!
LORD, giver of life, continue to open the eyes of my children on this day!
That they would continue to not be hindered
by the many things of this world and get too comfortable
that the "least of these" brothers and sisters, daughters and sons of YOU
would be forgotten...
that they would not be blind as to not see the least of these
in their city, in their school, in their world.
Help them have courage to do what is right and just!
Help them as they become adults to put away selfishness, do away with pride
and not deny YOU oh God!
Let them worship in the streets!
Let them pray under the bridges!
Let them fellowship everyday with those who declare YOU LORD, oh GOD!
Thank YOU that it doesn't take a fancy building for them to serve YOU!
Be magnified oh GOD and help me as a mom not to hinder their
walk for YOU!
Open my eyes and give me the eyes of a child
who sees someone who is hungry
and then feeds them...
to see someone who is cold
and then clothes them...
to hear someone who doesn't know YOU
and then pray with them and for them...
as YOU did here~
Let me not cause my children to stumble~
forgive me for my selfish ways and renew and change us oh GOD
to be the church that YOU love~
unblemished~
that the least of these will not be hidden
but freed from oppression!
Let your mercy reign oh dear GOD in the name of JESUS, amen.