Last night I began reading Red Moon Rising. Those who have already read it may agree how powerful some of the statistics in the first chapter are. For example, "Almost a third of U.K. teenagers have been drunk twenty times or more, and more than 35 percent have experimented with illegal drugs." Or how about a convicting one, "It currently cost 2.2 million dollars to air a 30 second commercial during the super bowl while almost one third of the world's population lives on under 2.50$ a day." Lastly the one that most impacted me, "Der Spiegel magazine estimates that in Germany alone there are at least thirty Internet death forums where suicidal teenagers can discuss the best ways to kill themselves." Pete Greig then writes out several examples of these post that teen's have posted on these sites.
All these stats hit me like a brick. When I went on a trip to Mexico and lived with the impoverished it felt as though it was a fantasy, as I returned home I stated nostalgically, "Back to the Real World". Yet looking at these statistics I think most of us who live in the U.S. can agree that the lives we live here are the true fantasy. Poverty is the true Reality. We are simply sheltered by the wealth of our SuperNation. Even as one who has tried to be internationally aware it still stuns me to read them. After hearing David Wilkerson's sermon, "A Call to Anguish", it has become somewhat routine for me to ask for Jesus' anguish for the lost and broken. But when he grants my request I am overwhelmed by the pain it brings. I truly believe what I felt last night was just a glimpse of God's anguish for his people, I do not know how I could have recovered from a whole revelation of his pain. As I lied in my bed, my soul was distraught, even in my search for comfort it seemed the screams of the hurting where overpowering the hope I hold inside.
Feeling helpless and with little hope I cast my head into the lap of my Savior. As I journaled over my pain a rather obvious yet worship-bringing truth became disclosed, I wrote, "I must come to God for comfort in this pain; for His Anguish can only be treated with His Comfort." Logically, God-sized anguish requires God-sized Comfort. It was incredible to see how so quickly Jesus turned my inexpressible anguish into inexpressible joy. Last night I experienced an intimacy with my Savior, a closeness, that I have never felt before. It was so tangible and glorious. Only our God can bring such joy. For he is the only one who satisfies, he is the only one worthy of our worship. All else is truly rubbish compared to him.
In the time of my greatest pain and sadness Jesus brought to me a greater intimacy than ever felt before. Praise Lord Jesus above all things of this world. For who can satisfy like our God.
Buy Red Moon Rising at http://www.amazon.com/Red-Moon-Rising-Awakening-Generation/dp/0972927662
Check out:
http://stopthehunger.com/
http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats
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