A wake up call

I've been listening to podcasts of "This American Life" over the last couple weeks. It's a great way to occupy my mind and chill at the same time. The one I listened to today included a story about a guy who befriended 3 Iraqi brothers. He talked on the phone with them for hours during each week and really got to know them well. He heard about all the struggles they faced living in a war zone. Toward the end of the story, one of the brothers gets seriously injured by a bomb and is in a coma. No one knows where he is for a couple weeks and they finally find him in a hospital. Meanwhile, his wife has had their baby. A month and a half later, the man is still in a coma and has never met their child.

This story reminded me how ridiculously blessed I am. The small trials, fears and struggles that I face are nothing compared to what most people around the world have to live with. I have access to outstanding medical care, I live in a safe and comfortable place, I have easy contact with family and friends. I don't have to worry about going to the grocery store and being blown up by a bomb, or my husband having to take our child and flee our home to avoid gunmen who are trying to kill us because of our race. This story reminded me how much I take for granted all the wonderful things I have in this life and it burdened my heart for those around the world who are facing unimaginable suffering.

This story brought to mind a beautiful verse I read in Micah yesterday.

"Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid." Micah 4:4

What a powerful image of what is to come when Jesus comes back and makes all things right in this world. I am comforted by this verse as I deal with the hardships that accompany being married to someone whose job is to "learn war", and even more as I look beyond myself to the suffering and heartache that war and conflict and sin cause around the world. Praise God that he has sent his Son to mend this broken and hurting world through his death on the cross. I look forward with hope and anticipation to the day when this verse will become reality.