Scripture of the Day: Isaiah 1:17 (from The Message)
Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.
Oh man. I read that verses in a half-sleep stupor the other morning and felt like I was hit by a bus! (If you really want to see more, look at the verses preceding this one...God was definitely trying to get our attention!)
How are you with faith-in-action? I confess I am not really there! The most "action" I see in my faith life is writing this blog, going to church and going to a weekly prayer service. I don't do much for justice. I don't stand up for the homeless. I don't speak up much for the defenseless (unless that defenseless person is my son and he is being mistreated at a play ground by an unruly child - then mama bear comes out to roar!). As a whole I go through my life blissfully ignorant of what is going on in the world around me...and that is NOT how God intended it should be.
God wants us to be action oriented. We are supposed to represent the body of Christ - and the only way we can do that is if we MOVE our own bodies! :) We cannot be love to anyone else outside our own circle if we don't stretch out our arms to embrace those who need it. That embrace can look different - volunteer to make a meal at a homeless shelter, ring the bell for the Salvation Army, collect clothes for the needy and then DELIVER them somewhere. Bring a meal to someone who can't leave their house for one reason or another. The Nehemiah study I am doing brought up a great point a couple of weeks ago - do you know the name of someone living in poverty? Have you taken the time to share resources and get to know someone who has less then you? Don't just settle for recognizing a face. Make yourself known. Learn people's stories. Realize they are a child of God who has His love just as much as you - and show that love by helping if you can. You don't have to help monetarily...we don't all have extra! Sometimes help can come in form of two ears that can listen and a heart that can pray.
Join me in action this upcoming month! My plan is to start by getting some friends together to make and serve dinner at a local homeless shelter. I would love to hear what you do, please share with me!
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father God, thank you for conviction sometimes that we are simply not doing enough. Put it on our hearts to put our faith in action (in a form that isn't strictly monetary). Give us a desire to help the homeless and stand up for those cannot stand up for themselves. Let us be people that others come to for help or a listening ear without being afraid of judgement. Let us be stewards of your love. I ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.
Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.
Oh man. I read that verses in a half-sleep stupor the other morning and felt like I was hit by a bus! (If you really want to see more, look at the verses preceding this one...God was definitely trying to get our attention!)
How are you with faith-in-action? I confess I am not really there! The most "action" I see in my faith life is writing this blog, going to church and going to a weekly prayer service. I don't do much for justice. I don't stand up for the homeless. I don't speak up much for the defenseless (unless that defenseless person is my son and he is being mistreated at a play ground by an unruly child - then mama bear comes out to roar!). As a whole I go through my life blissfully ignorant of what is going on in the world around me...and that is NOT how God intended it should be.
God wants us to be action oriented. We are supposed to represent the body of Christ - and the only way we can do that is if we MOVE our own bodies! :) We cannot be love to anyone else outside our own circle if we don't stretch out our arms to embrace those who need it. That embrace can look different - volunteer to make a meal at a homeless shelter, ring the bell for the Salvation Army, collect clothes for the needy and then DELIVER them somewhere. Bring a meal to someone who can't leave their house for one reason or another. The Nehemiah study I am doing brought up a great point a couple of weeks ago - do you know the name of someone living in poverty? Have you taken the time to share resources and get to know someone who has less then you? Don't just settle for recognizing a face. Make yourself known. Learn people's stories. Realize they are a child of God who has His love just as much as you - and show that love by helping if you can. You don't have to help monetarily...we don't all have extra! Sometimes help can come in form of two ears that can listen and a heart that can pray.
Join me in action this upcoming month! My plan is to start by getting some friends together to make and serve dinner at a local homeless shelter. I would love to hear what you do, please share with me!
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father God, thank you for conviction sometimes that we are simply not doing enough. Put it on our hearts to put our faith in action (in a form that isn't strictly monetary). Give us a desire to help the homeless and stand up for those cannot stand up for themselves. Let us be people that others come to for help or a listening ear without being afraid of judgement. Let us be stewards of your love. I ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.
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