[ long hours ]

Disregard the previous entry. I pray that the following entry will be more meaningful and will help better illustrate what I've been seeing and thinking about lately.

I think I've mentioned that I've been working pretty long hours. Eight and nine hour shifts are pretty common, and I haven't gotten the 'break' routine down quite yet, so honestly, I've been tired.

I think once you start diving into the 50+ hours/week range, you're at risk for serious burnout or may start to go through the motions -- I mean, really -- work is what you do -- work occupies your time, emotions, thoughts and energy. I've never really experienced this before, but I'm beginning to see that many people in America are living this life day-in and day-out. Once August 18 approaches, for example, they'll still be working for $2.13 + tips. And to be honest, they'll probably be pushing for longer hours -- their children will have set out a school supplies checklist and will want to shop for new school clothes. Every kid does.

***

Someone should have been celebrating today, but was broken.

Someone couldn't find the strength to hold back tears today.

Today, my coworkers were tired. Really tired.

I won't be able to process all of these things this summer, but there's one thing that has occurred to me over and over again: God aches for these people.

He yearns for them to know Him. He wants to relieve their physical, emotional and spiritual exhaustion. He longs for them to know that they are important, vital and urgently needed.

This is the absolute truth: I cannot offer anything to these people but the unconditional love of Jesus Christ. There are no words that will ever be comforting enough. I can't simply say,"I'm really sorry this is happening to you -- that's not how things are supposed to be." I can't apologize enough or offer them support without offering them the Healer and Deliverer.

These people need Jesus.

If we really take the time to look all around us, we can see the reality of our fallen world is just that -- a reality. It reveals itself in ways much deeper and cutting than we can see at surface level. Not just in 'moral behavior' or radio talk show 'sin,' but in loneliness and pain and tears.

We've been separated from our Creator and feel the burden of a world that just doesn't make sense.

I can sympathize and even empathize with my coworkers, but my own ability to 'piece' things together for these people is slim. Okay, none.

I must share Jesus with them. There's nothing else to it, really. I have two more months with them, and nothing else matters. Not how much money I make or my tendency to want to get into a 'comfort zone,' and definitely not my desire for them to 'know' me -- you know, 'who I am' or something like that. (I read recently that pride has no place in a Christian's walk because we have nothing to be proud of on our own. Someone's discipler actually said that to him after he admitted that he was struggling with pride. Definitely convicting and poignant.)

God yearns for our transparency in the trenches because it is then that we understand how real and evident He can be through us.

Not because we can ever say or do the right thing, but because we are able to -- and compelled to -- share the gospel of salvation and grace to the people He cares about, yearns for and loves.

It's a beautiful and urgent message that God has called us to share.

We must. I must.