He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
Today is 21 June. And on the 21st of every month this year, we’re focusing on praying about trafficking and modern-day slavery.
It’s a massive issue. It’s horrific to think about. And it’s something that breaks our hearts.
Today, as we’ve watched more films and read more statistics, our hearts have again cried out “How, God, how?”
How can this happen? How can it be stopped? And how can lives so battered ever be restored?
But painful as it is, we know that God calls us to engage with every issue of injustice – so we stand here, willing to wait in this place of brokenness and questioning.
And we ask God to answer, to help us find a way to respond – to show us how the truth of Psalm 147:3 shines his light into such darkness…
God heals broken hearts.
God binds up wounds.
I hear those promises, and I believe them to be true.
But I see the wounds.
And I see the shattered hearts.
I glimpse the reality, and so I have to ask “how God, how?”
The wounds are so deep.
The hearts are so broken.
Torn apart by despair; crushed by evil.
“How God, how?”
But then I remember…
The wounds of the nails were so deep.
And yet your scarred hands beckon us in.
Your body was so broken.
But now your gentle voice says “come and I will give you rest”.
And I hear again the cries of your forsaken heart on the cross.
A heart torn apart by despair.
A heart crushed by evil.
A heart that felt all pain but rose victorious.
That’s how, God, that’s how.
This reflection – along with the song What price? – is the start of us forming a set of prayer and worship responses to help us respond to the issues of trafficking and modern-day slavery, and intercede for transformation.
With such a huge, complicated and painful topic, we’re taking the time to understand the issues, process the pain, and to allow God to guide us slowly step by step in how he would have us respond creatively… we hope and pray that as we share our journey with interceding for this issue bit by bit, you will continue to come with us.