Another week has raced by can you believe it Saturday already.
This bit of humor in from Terri of Washington. How do we know that God intended for men to make coffee for their fairer sex (women)? Well of course it says so in the Bible when it says “He-brew”. Ha ha good one Terri.
Well, our meditation for today is found in Prov. 21:13 “Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.”
This verse focuses our attention on three things:
Those in need
Our attitude toward them
God’s relationship to them
First thing we learn is that not all people experiencing poverty is necessarily related to the persons punishment or foolish decisions they have made. After all which one would be the cause for Job’s plight? Neither, right?
Second, our attitude should be concern for the person. Ask ourselves; What would our Father have us do to help them feel valued? Listen to their plight & then determine how we can best help them?
Third, relate to them God’s love for them, and their unique place in His heart. Realize that we may not be able to determine just what has brought them to this place, but assure them that God does, and has a plan for their blessings.
Next, after listening, hearing their dilemma, pour compassion on them, share some possible long term solutions, and then if they are still responding positively, help them with an immediate solution.
Guide them to God in prayer,
Find out what immediate need
you can share with (a bottle of
water, meal, ministry they can
be helped by, give ride to get
help).
Many times we are tempted to just ignore this need, or give them some pat comment. Our Father more than anything wants for us to be His voice in this noisy confused world.
My experience is that the greatest need we can meet for most people who are in need, is concern & compassion. The one thing that communicates that is a listening ear, and a compassionate response.
They for the most part desire to be valued, cared for, heard, guided out of despair. We many times lump people in need in one big lump. Homeless, hopeless, with only one solution give them a hand out or ignore them totally.
We as a church have purposefully made available a place where a group of people who feed; and then while their eating; attempt to drill down just how to best help them. We have two separate outreaches one Saturday morning, and one Sunday evening. Both of these groups have local ministries who frequent our efforts with varying approaches. Long term recovery, or short term physical assistance, but all have people who attempt to administer; care & compassion with the purposeful intentionality to lead them to the Savior, for prayer, salvation, burden sharing, etc.
We are praying for others to come along side of us to minister to middle school teens (due to a middle school across the street from us) who have different but similar needs. They are in need of people who care & are willing to talk about their confusions, questions, etc. Beginning with a snack, cool drink, or just a place to hang out for a while, etc. If you would; please join us in upholding us in this potential endeavor.
Also please pray for us as we move from Zoom kids club to an in person Good News Club and hopefully to continue a Zoom club, this next month. We have children who can only attend by Zoom (to far away from our area) so please pray for someone who is tech savvy to assist us in this ministry.
So Go With God He will guide you, and empower you to reach out to our needy world in a unique way a (You) way. He never calls us to do what we are unable to do. Maybe it’s pray, or go, or give. If we seek Him in how we should minister He will open the door.
I will never forget a few months ago, Becky went into the store & the Spirit moved me to speak to a man on the bench out front of the store. We spoke a few minutes, I assumed he was homeless, I felt moved to pray for him.
At the close of my prayer his taxi arrived & he thanked me for caring for him in that way. Then he said something shocking to me, “You are the first person in two years who has cared for me out of compassion. Thank you, for expressing your concern for me.”
I have not seen or heard from him since (about 4 months) but that encounter has moved me to pray each day for some needy stranger who just yearns to hear a compassionate word from a fellow traveller.
Humm. Entertaining an angel? Awesome job pastor Ben!