Reminder

It was nice to be in Vancouver yesterday. I was just there for 24 hours, but was able to see some lovely faces that I've missed.
I forgot about some of the smells of my old neighbourhood.
Outside of the bottle depot (which has the motto - together we can. haha ) always smells of red wine. Each floor of the Balmoral with a distinct smell. The alleys the the stench of urine...
Entering in the DTES (Downtown Eastside) I got a surge of emotions. Brokeness - seeing some of my friends passed out on the streets, women caught up in the sex trade etc. Feeling relief to be back home. Feeling excitement to see faces. Feeling the presence of God. Feeling a righteous anger towards oppression, abuse and the spirit of Lust. (I was passing by a porn shop which is right next to my hotel and I actually said outloud "Yuck!"). In some ways it feels like I was snapped out of a numbness again. A real wake-up call. I didn't even realize that I was being numbed. I guess that's what apathy does. It creeps. Slowly takes it's hands and covers your eyes and ears. So sneaky. Be on guard. If you heart doesn't break over brokeness, don't dismiss it. Don't agree with it and do nothing. Cry out to God. He wants us to be turned on to His heart. Let's be alert. The latter part of Isaiah it urges the church to WAKE UP. Let's be that.
You don't have to be in a place like where I live to be fully alive. It's harder in suburbia - so much harder - to remain broken hearted for the people around. But, if you are called to be there, then be there and be ALIVE and AWAKE and IN TUNE to the Spirit of the living God.

I'm all for no more excuses. I repent from any apathy that I agreed with. I acknowledge that if I am not making a difference, then I'm agreeing with apathy.
There is no part of me that wants to partner up with that. Makes me feel disgusting just thinking about it. So I repent, and turn the oppostite way. I receive the mercy and grace of Jesus and His power (and only by His power) I am choosing to make a difference.