I'd only stepped out of the room for 5 minutes.
When I came back into the main room at Sanctuary West London, someone had stolen my laptop.
There was just an empty space where it had been!
Ten minutes earlier I had been working on the multi media for our service.
So I lost all that work.
No one saw who it was.
No one saw anything.
Its one of the hazards of working with some desperately troubled people.
Straight away?
I felt nothing but compassion.
I know some of the guys who come into our place are hopelessly gripped by the evils of homelessness, drugs addiction and alcoholism. This in turn means being lost in a world of crime and deception.
I've worked with people long enough now to know the things that people will do just to get money, just to feed an addiction.
I was reminded of the day in Durham where I was threatened with a knife by someone we had showed the love of Jesus to. He ultimately went to prison for the offence. But I remember the day he came back and said, "Gaz, can I come back in I'm really hungry." I remember how my heart just reached out to him, and I said "of course you can mate." I saw a flicker of light come into his sad dead eyes.
Those words in a worship song that start with "Everyone needs compassion," Are so real and so true.
I was thinking this morning as I pray, how forgiveness and compassion are key components of justice.
How they open up the arms of Jesus to those who are wounded and broken.
In this world right now where talk of bombing raids, murder, war, and so many other horrific things seem to dominate everything. Where Justice seems to mean different things to different nations, people, and even religions, the words "everyone needs compassion" pierce the gloom of that with hurricane type force. Forgiveness and compassion ultimately are the only things that can successfully turn this world around.
Why.
Because they are the ultimate messages that flow from the blood of Jesus, that flow from the cross, that flow from the heart of Jesus himself.
Jesus lights up dead eyes.
Jesus is hope.
Jesus is indeed the answer to a world gone mad.
So.
It really can start with us.
It really can.
If everyone needs compassion where are we in all that right now?
Come on where are we?
Are we carrying unforgiveness around?
Are we ready to show compassion to whoever?
These words just penetrated my mind as I pray this morning, "A repentance to Justice."
Repentance.
A big word.
A big thing.
It means turning away from sin.
Turning away from sin?
That is never going to be easy I know, believe me!
Forgiveness is the massive key in all of that and I think compassion is too.
Turning away from injustice to the justice of the kingdom.
If we really want to bring about the Justice system of Heaven to this earth, then I think it really starts with us.
In the simple things especially.
So whats holding you back?
Whats in the way?
If you know?
Do something today, do something now!
Turn away from it.
And we may just bring more of Gods justice to this world.
When I came back into the main room at Sanctuary West London, someone had stolen my laptop.
There was just an empty space where it had been!
Ten minutes earlier I had been working on the multi media for our service.
So I lost all that work.
No one saw who it was.
No one saw anything.
Its one of the hazards of working with some desperately troubled people.
Straight away?
I felt nothing but compassion.
I know some of the guys who come into our place are hopelessly gripped by the evils of homelessness, drugs addiction and alcoholism. This in turn means being lost in a world of crime and deception.
I've worked with people long enough now to know the things that people will do just to get money, just to feed an addiction.
I was reminded of the day in Durham where I was threatened with a knife by someone we had showed the love of Jesus to. He ultimately went to prison for the offence. But I remember the day he came back and said, "Gaz, can I come back in I'm really hungry." I remember how my heart just reached out to him, and I said "of course you can mate." I saw a flicker of light come into his sad dead eyes.
Those words in a worship song that start with "Everyone needs compassion," Are so real and so true.
I was thinking this morning as I pray, how forgiveness and compassion are key components of justice.
How they open up the arms of Jesus to those who are wounded and broken.
In this world right now where talk of bombing raids, murder, war, and so many other horrific things seem to dominate everything. Where Justice seems to mean different things to different nations, people, and even religions, the words "everyone needs compassion" pierce the gloom of that with hurricane type force. Forgiveness and compassion ultimately are the only things that can successfully turn this world around.
Why.
Because they are the ultimate messages that flow from the blood of Jesus, that flow from the cross, that flow from the heart of Jesus himself.
Jesus lights up dead eyes.
Jesus is hope.
Jesus is indeed the answer to a world gone mad.
So.
It really can start with us.
It really can.
If everyone needs compassion where are we in all that right now?
Come on where are we?
Are we carrying unforgiveness around?
Are we ready to show compassion to whoever?
These words just penetrated my mind as I pray this morning, "A repentance to Justice."
Repentance.
A big word.
A big thing.
It means turning away from sin.
Turning away from sin?
That is never going to be easy I know, believe me!
Forgiveness is the massive key in all of that and I think compassion is too.
Turning away from injustice to the justice of the kingdom.
If we really want to bring about the Justice system of Heaven to this earth, then I think it really starts with us.
In the simple things especially.
So whats holding you back?
Whats in the way?
If you know?
Do something today, do something now!
Turn away from it.
And we may just bring more of Gods justice to this world.
