For the Least of my Brothers...
Over the past weeks, there has been a growing conviction and desire among a number of us to want to seriously consider how we as a community of God's people can put our hearts, minds and hands together to reach out and serve people in need.
At the last cell cluster meeting, Ps. Lip Yong talked about offering our friendship and service to those affected by the current financial crisis, and more broadly on giving of ourselves to the Lord's work among the less fortunate.
When we finally arranged for a discussion on Friday to explore what we could do, there was such a refreshing excitement and purposefulness - which came through all your enthusiastic responses!
There was such an 'agreement' and convergence of hearts, and the Lord did seem very present with us.
A number of us have been helping others in our own personal ways. We now would like to consider doing something together as well.
We had a good initial brainstorming session on Friday. Quite a few of us expressed a heart and preference for children in need. Crisis evangelism and befriending were other emerging themes. Let's continue to pray together and ask God to reveal His specific plan to us.
On Sat morning, Joshua and I had an opportunity to chat and he shared some interesting thoughts. He will be sharing with us on Friday. In the afternoon, Simon gave me 2 passages of scripture which he has been meditating on and which are compelling him to want to do something about it - Isa 58:6-9 & Matt 25:31-46 .
I believe the Lord is exulting us to join hands with Him to attend to that which weighs most upon His heart - service to the poor. We may want to give some time to reflect on these verses this week. I do sense we are on the brink of a new work that the Lord wants to do with and through us, and humbly ask us to continue to keep our fellowship and impending work in much prayer.
Isaiah 58:6-9 (Fasting that Pleases God)
6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "
Matt 25:31-46 (The Sheep & the Goats)
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For 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 invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Saturday, February 28, 2009
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