Heaven Won't Look Like My Little Baptist Congregation

This morning over my coffee, I was reading a story about a worldwide movement to end modern day slavery - to expose sex trafficking and rescue children and young people who had been captured and forced into servitude.  It's a travesty and it makes me angry to know that there are adults who prey on innocence.  As a mother, it makes me hold my baby closer and others at more of a distance.  The depravity of man (and woman) knows no bounds.

In the midst of this pondering, I look for ways to help.  What can I do?  I'm one person.  Not a politician, a leader, famous.  Here are some organizations that are helping and I can help them.  So can you:

• Not For Sale
• Street Grace
• Polaris Project
• The 21 Campaign

There are others.  I'm sure there are many - and there's probably one in your town.  Don't ignore this problem.  Teach your children about the danger and the opportunities to rescue others.  Pray for the children and adults in slavery being exploited and those recovering from the effects of sex trafficking.  Pray that the people involved would be convicted in their hearts (and in courts) about the wrong they are doing.

The global scale of this issue also leads me to a meditation about heaven. Many years ago, God blessed me with the opportunity to go to Burkina Faso to tell others about Him.  I was a young believer and it was really the only time I'd been to a third-world country.  My eyes were opened and my world was forever changed.  Before this trip, church for me was a stoic stand up, sit down, clap your hands a little and sing along with everyone else, while the BK believers danced wildly, sang loudly, shook tambourines and cried out in their faith!  It was frightening and exciting and connected me to a place of release and freedom for my faith.  I realized in full - for the first time - that heaven won't look like my little Baptist congregation (not that there's anything wrong with a little Baptist confeegation, per se).  It will be filled with people from all over the world - white, black, brown, yellow and every hue in between.  Languages will be strange, but we will understand each other.  The celebration will go on forever and the singing will never end. 

2Let Israel be glad in his Maker; Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King. 3Let them praise His name with dancing; Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre. ~Psalm 149:2-3

Praise Him today and pray for those who are lost.  The children and young people involved in sex trafficking may not look like you (although they might).  They may not be in your backyard (although if you are in Atlanta, they might be).  Yet, they are like you - wonderfully created and worthy of our prayers, intervention and love.  Be faithful.  Be healthy!