Embracing Kingdom Hope for a Broken World
Wrestling with Oil
Green Adventures: a series in which we invite you into the adventures from our journey.
In this Green Adventures series, I have brought you into my own journey to care for God’s creation. I have enjoyed telling stories of how I have tried to live out my call to care for God’s creation. I have typically focused on practical actions. Together we have journeyed through efforts to make bread; to switch to more sustainable, cloth diapers; to develop eco-friendly business cards; to tend a garden; and even to change eating habits. Today’s journey, though, is not a matter of action. Instead, it is a matter of heart.
I’ll be honest, when I first heard of the oil rig explosion on April 20th, I felt bad, but not too bad. In a world where we are constantly battered with news of disaster, death, and destruction, I often find myself numb to the impact of such things. Numbness to such pain allows us to continue functioning in a bubble as if everything is okay. Normally, in this situation I would be “okay.” But this time I am not. The numbness has given way.
This is the result, first, of engaging with the situation and understanding its gravity. You see, when we keep things at arm’s distance, when we engage in only 30 second sound bites, and when we treat them like science fiction movies, it is easy to be disengaged. But when we address a situation, look at the photos, and understand what is at stake, we cannot help but to care for the real pain of the tragedy.
Secondly, this is the result of prayer. Early on I began praying for this, but I later jumped in deep with a prayer for the Gulf Coast Oil Spill and my efforts surrounding the launch of Oil Spill Prayer. How could I possibly go to the Lord day after day without being deeply affected? Prayer has changed me.
I am not a terribly emotional person. I rarely cry. But I cannot help but tear up every time I engage this situation.
People have died.
Others are injured.
Families are hurting due to financial hardships.
God’s creatures are suffering and dying.
Beaches, marshes, wetlands, and other ecosystems are seriously damaged.
Back when I worked at World Vision, I remember reading about how the founder, Bob Pierce, prayed these words: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” I believe that this tragedy is something that breaks the heart of God. Bit by bit my own heart is breaking.
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