beyond oneself

I went on vacation recently, to my home, which I love and miss. Immediately upon landing in my second home, I was blasted by rudeness and pain in the ass delays: pilot circling Baltimore for 20 minutes with no cabin update, 30 minute wait for luggage, shuttle bus driver immediately rude when I ask him to wait for my husband who was juggling three bags, elevator in parking garage broken, healthy organic supermarket with the scantiest bulk foods aisle ever. I mean, WTF over, especially on the last one. How far will i have to travel to buy some blasted split peas.
I also came home to a whirl of news. Israel bombarding Gaza, Hamas bombarding Israel. Flashes of 2006 rhetoric over and over again. Bombs going off in Pakistan, Russia cutting Ukraine's natural gas supply, Sri Lankan army overtaking Tamil Tiger stronghold and sister-in-law's cancer worst than thought.

WOW. overwhelming.

There is so much out there - life is so much than ourselves, and our perceived problems (like lots o' books and not so many bookshelves, disheveled closet, wondering if I made the right career choice, etc). As a follower of God, we need to stop everything and pray for our world, his Kingdom. Doing Kingdom work isn't just about the nine-to-five or the volunteer work. Its caring about the things the Maker of the Universe cares about.

His people, all created in his image. Whether they be Jews, Arabs, Muslims, Palestinians, Ukrainians who may freeze without more gas, and others suffering right now, living in fear, living without peace.

The Psalmist tells us to "Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem." (Ps. 122:6). Yeshua tells us to pray for those who persecute us (Mt 5:43). Saul (Paul) however you may feel about his writings, encourages the Philippians to "not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Ph. 2: 6).

We all know things may not turn out the way we want them to. and its scary. But being a servant in God's Kingdom demands that we think beyond ourselves, and the bubble we created for ourselves, and start caring for those all around us, throughout the four corners of the earth. Its part of Kingdom living.