I am on the battlefield for my Lord,
I'm on the battlefield for my Lord;
And I promised Him that I would serve Him till I die.
I am on the battlefield for my Lord

(One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism – African American Hymnal)

Nine years ago, I wrote my first Do Justice blog as I stepped into the role of Race Relations director. A few months later, I assumed leadership of the CRC Office of Social Justice. In those early days, I sensed the Lord already at work on the frontlines of advocacy and racial justice, guiding us through a season marked by deep turmoil and tension.

Now, as I write my final piece as a Do Justice columnist, I am profoundly grateful and deeply honored to have lent my voice to this work. I am honored to stand among the wise and faithful leaders who continue to push the church toward courage, compassion, and public witness. As I pass the pen to them, I will be cheering them on.

I don’t want to say anything new, but only affirm the practices from February 2016 that are still relevant for us all. We practice resurrection by selecting one of the activities and intentionally working it into the rhythm of our daily lives.

Five simple justice activities:

1. Walk and pray for one block of your neighborhood: Justice can begin when the hearts of men and women are lifted up to the Lord and turning control over to the One who can ignite their hearts for the hurting and helpless.
2. Spend half an hour in an area observing life: Write down your observations. When you pay attention to the heartbeat of the city, you open yourself  to see things you never saw before – pain, hurried lives, commerce, and God.
3. Choose, read, and meditate on the opening chapter of one of the Old Testament prophets: Notice the conversation between God and the prophets. Which words caught your eye about justice under God’s conditions? Write it down and turn it into a prayer. Prayer is the first line of awareness that justice began with a simple conversation between God and his anointed messenger. You are God’s messenger and instrument to bring shalom to the places that are hostile against justice.   
4. Check out the Christian Community Development website: Justice is more than a cup of cold water; it also calls us to confront the systems in business, education, government, and the church that keep justice from flowing like the mighty rushing river the prophet Micah describes. Learn and grow in the work of bringing sustained shalom to the hard places in our world.
5. Memorize Eugene Peterson’s words today: He said, “resurrection only comes from graves, tombs, and emptiness. It is where God is. He’s in the middle of it. This is God’s characteristic action in the world – through the waters, through the valleys and through the grave.”  

Christians take resurrection seriously. 

And whatever you do – stay on the battlefield for the Lord.