Songs & Their Stories: "Seek Justice"

A couple years ago, I had the privilege of traveling with my dear friend, Kate, on a research trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. Kate was tasked with helping develop curriculum to teach children, particularly those vulnerable to being tricked into the labor and sex trafficking trade, about being made in the image of our creator God... imago Dei.

Some of the precious faces of children in Southeast Asia we visited with...

Kate & I visiting expats in Cambodia...

Touring Vietnam in style, the only way to go: by moto...

This experience was life changing in many ways. One of which was confronting the growing and very real problem of trafficking in persons worldwide. I will never forget some of the things I saw while in SE Asia, nor ignore the reality of the existence of modern day slavery on our own soil.

This is how my songs are typically born - trying to process experiences through the lens of God's Word, the Bible. Isaiah 1:17 was resounding in my head, "learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." (ESV) So, I sat down at the piano, repented of my inaction and wrote this song:

Seek Justice

I hear Your voice as You call me out of comfort

To loose control for the glory of Your Name

I'm letting go of this self-centered thinking

Lord, I need Your help to walk as Your Word says,

Seek justice

Rescue the oppressed

Defend the orphan

and plead the widow's cause

I hear Your voice calling me to action

To not stand idle in this world of desperate need

I lift my hands offering my all to you

For Your Name and Your Renown

is the desire of my soul

Seek justice

Rescue the oppressed

Defend the orphan

and plead the widow's cause

Is not the fast You choose?

To go and feed the hungry

To be Your hands and feet to everyone around me

To care for the broken-hearted

Showing mercy to the least of these

So that Your great name will be praised!

Seek justice

Rescue the oppressed

Defend the orphan

and plead the widow's cause

Will you seek justice?

Rescue the oppressed?

Defend the orphan?

And plead the widow's cause?

[Click here to listen to the Song]

Throughout the Scriptures, God is called the Father of the fatherless and shows particular concern for the oppressed. I find encouragement in His Word, particularly passages like Psalm 10:17-18 that reads:

"O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more."

Here's part of the problem: (cited from an IJM resource)

* There are more children, women and men held in slavery right now than over the course of the entire trans-Atlantic slave trade

* Trafficking in humans generates profits in excess of 32 billion dollars a year for those who sell human lives into slavery and sexual bondage

* Nearly 2 million children are exploited in the commercial sex industry

* Visit http://www,ijm.org/ourwork/whatwedo to view factsheets and learn more about trafficking

* Cases of human trafficking have been reported in all 50 states. For more information on trafficking within the United States, visit www.polarisproject.org

As image bearers of the Lord Most High, we must do something. What will you do?

Right now there is very important legislation set to expire THIS SEPTEMBER. Here is one thing you can do RIGHT NOW: Call your senators and ask them to cosponsor the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). To learn more about this bill and ways to get involved, please visit: http://www.ijm.org/justice-campaigns/tvpra