FRIDAY 13th JANUARY 1984
GOD's COMPASSION FOR THE POOR
Reading: Deuteronomy 15:7-11 English - Mr Hunt Chinese - Barbara
7 "If there is among you a poor man, one of your brethren, in any of your towns within your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother,
8 but you shall open your hand to him, and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.
9 Take heed lest there be a base thought in your heart, and you say, 'The seventh year, the year of release is near,' and your eye be hostile to your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and it be sin in you.
10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him; because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.
11 For the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in the land.
COMMENTARY - Vera
God is very concerned over the poor and needy. In Luke Chapter 4 verse 18, Jesus said, 'The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.'
Today, we see the poor facing starvation, sicknessess and diseases. Many of them die of hunger. They are the ones who always suffer. Many people are not interested to help them.
Yet God has a very compassionate heart for them. We are told distinctly not to harden our hearts nor close our hands from the poor people, but to freely open our hands to them and generously lend them sufficient for their needs in whatever they lack.
We, who work in World Vision are a bridge between the giver and the poor. We get satisfaction once a donor responds to our appeal and starts to send in gifts. We experience great joy when we send the gifts directly to the poor and see them receiving it.
God will not forget those who give. He has a reward for them too. In verse 10 it is written, 'You shall generously give to him and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings'. Yes, the Lord will bless and add abundantly to those who care for the poor and the needy.
A question for us to ponder. Knowing that there are great needs among the poor in this world, have we ever freely opened our hands to them or generously given to them? Children are dying everyday, just because they are poor and have no money to buy food. We can help some of these children by sponsoring them ourselves.
NEWS
PRAYER (say together) Heavenly Father,
We thank you because we are living in a more affluent society, compared to the poor who face great poverty daily. We rejoice greatly to know that you came for these people. Help those who have plenty to freely open their hands to the poor and needy. Bless and add abundantly to those who give generously in your name to the poor .
In Jesus' Name we pray A-men
