During worship this weekend, a photographic montage was shown while a recording of Chris Tomlin singing “God of This City” served as the musical score. The photos were mostly of our town, and Pastor David used it to confirm that his transition to our church is complete, that he is committed to praying for this community and that he knows greater things are still to be done…here. Funny how God can speak the same message to me through the same song…but expect me to hear something far removed from what David heard. 8,581 miles removed, to be specific.
Throughout the length of the song, as David preached, and after the benediction…my heart was pulled and the tears that slipped down were not for my own city, but rather for one I’ve never even walked the streets of. Phnom Penh. Desperate and beautiful Phnom Penh. Where the slums next door are barely concealed from the view of your luxury suite…but if you squint a little, you may be able to blur the image enough to forget what you’ve seen. Just don’t stand at the window too long.
Phnom Penh. Where you can wander the markets and surmise that the bird vendors, with their cages stuffed and noisy, are selling pets…despite the stall down the street with the skewered barbeque in similar shapes and sizes. You can believe the smiling young girls are only peddling flowers in the park, though they are, like the birds, also caged. And so many will suffer a parallel fate - skewered, devoured, and discarded.
Lord, will you remember Phnom Penh? Will I?
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are
You're the light in this darkness
You're the hope to the hopeless
You're the peace to the restless
You are
There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
For greater things
Have yet to come
And greater things
Are still to be done in this city
