Isn’t the fact I choose: To break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and to tear off every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood? Then your light will appear like the dawn, and your recovery will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the Lord’s glory will be your rear guard. At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer; when you cry out, He will say, ‘Here I am.’ Isaiah 58:6-9
Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You?’ “And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ Matthew 25:34-40
My Words…
I Praise You
You are the God of all who suffer. You – who have witnessed every abominable act ever committed by mankind – are well acquainted with suffering. You don’t just witness it, You feel it. You are a God of limitless love who mourns over every instance of humans acting inhumanely. I can barely listen to the news anymore. Yet You see it all – thousands of years of misery laid out before you like a carpet. Murder, war, rape, hunger, neglect – over and over again. How can You stand it? It’s that unsearchable love, isn’t it? You not only love and mourn over those being hurt but over those doing the hurting. So, I’ve been reading about how all of this affects me. I see that many of Your words are directed not to those who are hurting, but to me – the one who is supposed to do something about it. Not through legislation or delegation, but through hands-on care – my hands easing someone’s discomfort. Just as fasting prepares one for worship, so does showing compassion to those who suffer. This message of care for the hurting is why I love being your child. I brag about You being a God who cares. Really cares. As a loving father, You bless Your children when they show Your love to those who are battered, damaged, persecuted, and defenseless. You love first then ask me to emulate You. Praise be to God who made comforting others an act of worship.
A Prayer for Me
It is because Your Spirit struggles with mine that I know my weaknesses (and my strengths). But today I am petitioning Your Spirit to blow open my heart and fill it with the kind of love that notices the hurt around me, in other words – Your love. I pray I will not just notice it, but I will act on it.
Forgive Me
Forgive me for being so unwilling to offer my hands in place of Yours. Humans in need can be so needy. Surely, You know! It doesn’t take much interaction with needy people before I’m finding an excuse to avoid them. I am a fool to do so when I know that by sharing my bread with the hungry and my home with the homeless, I will experience the peace that comes from having You as my rear guard. Who wouldn’t want that?
A Prayer for Others
Lord, I know, at this moment there is a starving child praying for food, a refugee praying for a safe place to call home, a prisoner praying for a visitor. (A list of just three in a world full of hurt) I add my prayer to theirs. Place someone in their paths who will be Your hands, Your ears, Your arms. I am not praying for a sprinkling or a shower. I am praying for a deluge of comfort that only You can supply. Send Your people, Lord!
Thank You
Although I often neglect the needs of others, there are those who never just walk on by. I thank You for those whose hearts are seared when they see a soul in need and offer a part of themselves expecting nothing in return. These servants often go unnoticed by man, but not by You. You know their names. It comforts me that You have made a promise to them: When they call on you, they will hear You answer, “Here I am.”
More Praise
I pulled up to a convenience store one day and saw a very large and dangerous-looking man get out of his car. He was huge. He wore a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, revealing his tattooed biceps and forearms. His thick neck supported his shaved head. The passenger door of his car opened and a skinny school-aged boy climbed out, wearing shorts and an Iron Man t-shirt. As he hurried to catch up to the large man, the boy tripped, skinning his knee. The boy’s crying prompted the man to stop and turn. The man knelt and the boy almost disappeared inside the man’s muscular arms tenderly encircling him. At the sound of the man’s whisper in his small ear, the boy stopped crying. He whisked a tear from his cheek, took hold of the man’s little finger, and the two walked into the store. I thought of You, God. You’re the big, strong guy, and the world is the kid in the Iron Man t-shirt. You have the power to do anything, yet you choose to encircle us in Your embrace. Amazing.
