God of this City

Last night, I found myself sitting among a circle of over 50 youth, tucked away under an overcast sky, sitting in the shell of the future Seeds space listening to the most beautiful sound.  You see, the third Saturday of each month, we pull together all the youth from The Refuge children's home, New Jerusalem and several others to come together in a night of worship, praise and testimony.

For those of you who don't know, this would be the perfect time for me to tell you that Seeds is a space that will serve to empower the dreams of youth.  A space that will focus on teaching students art, design, computer coding, photography, dance, fitness, and more, Seeds is based on the Mexican Proverb, "They tried to bury us.  They didn't know we were seeds."  That's is exactly what Seeds is all about... seeing the youth of this nation come together to recognize their undeniable value and worth, empowered with a voice that will rock the nations, united in understanding that they are future and their dreams are possible!  It is within the shell of this space under construction that we gathered to worship last night.  And it is in this space that I was awed by God once again.

As the guitar was being strummed and the youth began to sing out, I quickly found myself speechless at the familiar song they began to sing.  "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."

I don't know if you remember, but "God of this City" made it big all around the world years ago when Chris Tomlin adapted the original song and debuted an album with it.  It's a powerful song with an even more powerful declaration, yet imagine hearing the song sung by locals in the nation where it was first written.

Years ago an Irish band named Bluetree was on a small mission team in Pattaya, just over 11 hours south of Mae Sot.  Built up around the sex industry, the town was a hub for prostitution, lady boys, and trafficking.  Looking for another gig for their band to play, they made a deal with a local hot spot called "Climax Bar", essentially a brothel.  The deal was they would get two hours to play if they brought 30 Christians with them who would all buy Coca-Cola since it was more expensive than alcohol and the bar would make more money.  So they did and 20 minutes into their set, they began wondering what to do next having already done every worship song they knew.  The group began to go into a time of free worship and in those moments, the lyrics to "God of this City" were born.  Surrounded by prostitution, trafficking, brokenness and darkness, the Lord began to speak these powerful words over that place through a group of guys who were available to be used by Him and to see the places and the people He saw.

So fast forward to last night.  I've heard that song easily a hundred times.  I've declared it over people and places I've traveled.  It's powerful declaration has brought me to my knees for others countless times.  Yet there was something so different about hearing it from the lips of nationals in the country it was birthed.  Jesus is the Lord of Pattaya just as much as He is the Lord of Mae Sot.  He's the light to every darkness and the hope to every nation.  And I believe right alongside the youth who sang last night over this place that,

"Greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city!"