Focusing On God’s Concern

Posted by on October 6, 2005 under Bulletin Articles

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ?You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)

AND “Whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

AND “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40)

Paul wrote, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

The storms have come and gone. The horrible pictures that filled the TV screen and newspaper for days have been replaced with other concerns of the moment. Yet, much of the destruction remains. Homes are destroyed. People are displaced. Jobs have vanished. Folks, just like us, struggle every single day to survive with no income, home, or end in sight. Their material hopes are the remembrances and generosity of people they will never meet.

Hunger is hunger. No electricity is the same for everyone. No running water is disaster for anyone. No sewage system is a nightmare for any family. No gasoline-what do you mean no gasoline?

Keep your hearts open. Pray for our drivers as they haul supplies to the Gulf. Help any and every way you can. Caring for those in need is not all of righteousness, but it is definitely a huge part of it.