Tag: care for the poor
Pay it Forward!
Scripture reading for September 2: Psalm 41:1-3 “Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him: the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness You restore him to full health.”
Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
God is merciful to the poor and needy. His example should flow to those who love Him and are filled with His Holy Spirit. In most societies, the poor are neglected or taken advantage of. They are often judged by others for their state of poverty. They are often called ‘lazy’ or labeled as bums or beggars. Sometimes they are homeless and many suffer from addiction and the consequences of their own sins. Some have physical deformities and others mental illness. But even in the covenant of law, God called His people to be kind and generous to the poor and Jesus was always mindful of the poor and needy.
King David spoke prophetically of the faithful believer who was blessed by considering the poor. He plainly stated that in their day of trouble the Lord would deliver them. It was kind of like paying it forward. If you cared for the poor and helped them, then God would assure that in your need, you would find help. If your enemy was bent on killing you, God would keep you alive. If you were cursed by your enemy, God would make you blessed and not give you up to the destructive purposes of your enemy. Finally, if you were attacked by sickness, disease, or plague, God would sustain you during the illness and restore you to full health. That sounds like the kind of deal I want in on!
Prayer: Lord, thank You for showing us Your heart of mercy for the poor and the incentives You offer Your people to care for them as an extension of Your hand. I want to receive Your blessings and say ‘Amen’ to the promises of protection, deliverance, and healing. Show me what You want me to do for the poor in my life. Amen.
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Thankful for a God who Cares!
Scripture reading for February 23rd: Deuteronomy 21-24
Key Scriptures: Deuteronomy 24:19-20 “When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow.”
In giving His law to His people, God took pains to instruct them in His plan to care for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. God cared for them and asked His people to leave the gleanings of their fields, orchards, and vineyards for the poor and needy. He promised to bless His people for doing this!
Rejoice in God’s loving care: God uses His people to help the weak, poor and needy because He is their provider and protector! “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27)