Through and After the Fire

There will be difficulties we will encounter, even as believers in Christ. Our walk with God does not exempt us from trouble, but He sustains us in our trouble. 2nd Corinthians 4 reminds us:
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

This reflects the proper attitude of a believer in crisis.  Yes, there will the storms of life, the fires that we encounter, yet we know God goes with us.  We don't ignore our pain or live in a state of denial - instead, we embrace that we are struggling and allow God to give us His strength, so that we might know His love more deeply.  And, He manifests His love through His people - we are called to be sensitive to needs and allow the Lord to use us to stand with those who struggle.   

+++++

Peter reminds the readers in 1st Peter chapter 4 that tribulation will come, and we can respond by rejoicing. We can read these verses:
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

In times of tragedy, the goodness of God will bring people together.  And, when others are hurting we can reach out to lend a helping hand.

Such was the case of a bivocational pastor in Lenoir City, Tennessee, which is just outside of Knoxville. The Tennessee Baptist publication, The Baptist and Reflector, ran a touching story recently that was also found on the new national website launched by The Alabama Baptist, called, The Baptist Paper.  

In early April, Kenny Palmer, who is a bivocational pastor and a deputy for the Loudon County Sheriff's Department, was informed by a dispatcher one night that his house was on fire. Fortunately, his wife and their youngest son were not home. Their oldest son was with him. Kenny said, “Everything we owned was gone in a moment...” And, he related that he thought, "What do we do now?” But he said, "I knew God would take care of this." One of the losses was, as the article says, "the Bible that he had been given when he was ordained as a deacon and the one he has used since he was called to preach."

But, that's only part of the story - the community, including the family of God, came along side the Palmer family; Kenny relates, “It is a testament to God to see how people have supported us with money, clothing and prayers. God really showed up.”

The article relates that Phil Holmes, director of missions for the Loudon County Baptist Association said, “Several of our churches are taking up special offerings for them. Our association leadership also offered them a sizable donation to help them back on their feet...," adding, "We have seen a very strong outpouring of the love of Christ to bless this amazing family...Thank you to all who donated clothing, gift cards to restaurants and other items while they are staying in a hotel, and thank you for your prayers for the Palmer family.”  Even while the fire was in progress, area pastors were reaching out to their fellow servant, according to the article.

And, God has opened up doors for Kenny Palmer to share his testimony of God's faithfulness during this time of difficulty on local television stations. 

Regarding the support he has seen, Palmer states, “It has been very humbling,” adding, “The Lord will use whoever and whatever to bless His people. He has done that and it has been amazing.”

First of all, as we reflect on this story, it begins with the tragedy.  We will all have adversity enter into our lives.  How we allow it to affect us is key.  Pastor and Deputy Palmer chose to trust God even when he lost his earthly possessions in a fire, yet, he and his family saw the heavenly outpouring of God's faithfulness. 

The tragedy, the fire, was just the beginning of the story. The Palmers' house was burned down, and that could have been regarded merely as a devastating loss, with the family left to pick up the pieces. But, then God showed up.  And, that is also instructive for us - we don't have to draw our own conclusions and get caught up in a human response.  We can trust God and look for His hand, which was certainly all over this situation.

The response of compassion kicked in. And, that is the beauty of the work of the Church - where we see a need, we are called to meet that need. By so doing, we show the world the love of Christ. And, that response gave Kenny Palmer a greater story to tell, as he had the opportunity to relate God's work.

We can recount how God has been present during our times of challenge, and there is the further story to be told of what God did after it.

Simple Gifts

In a tender speech to the elders at Ephesus, the apostle Paul poured out his heart and encouraged those to whom he spoke to be charitable. He proclaimed in Acts 20:
32 So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33 I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.
34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me.
35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " 

As recipients of God's grace, we recognize that He is enough and that He is our provider - we are to not desire what others have, but to be dedicated to work that provides not only for our own needs, but for the needs of others.  The Christian faith has a strong element of giving, predicated on our God, who gave His Son, who gave His life, so that we might have life, and has provided us an abundant life so that we can develop an attitude of being content in His provision and willing to share.

+++++

Jesus invites us to come before Him in humility - like children, we can surrender to His abundant love. Matthew 19 states:
13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

Ira Miller is a 104-year-old man who lives in West Virginia.  He cross another milestone back in January when he celebrated his birthday.  But, there's another milestone that he has reached - he has packed 1000 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, the initiative of Samaritan's Purse in which shoeboxes full of small gifts are sent to needy children all over the world.

That's according to CBN.com, which reported recently:

For years Miller has devoted his time to packing Christmas boxes for children through Operation Christmas Child. He started packing the shoeboxes at his small church in West Virginia. The congregation usually assembled 35 boxes a year, but in 2016, Miller packed 21 by himself.

Then in 2017, Miller was gearing up to celebrate his 100th birthday and the idea arose for him to pack 100 boxes in honor of his centennial.

His daughter, Debbie Welch assisted him in reaching that mark. Ira says, “I hope [the children] are blessed and realize that God looks after them and that there’s still hope for them..." He is also quoted as saying, "The Lord has blessed me and I still want to do something for the children who don't know the Lord," adding, "I return all my thanks to Him." His grandchildren and great-grandchildren are also part of what has become a family tradition.

And, as CBN relates: "On his 100th birthday, Miller and his family decided to keep track of how many shoeboxes he packed. By the time he turned 104-years-old on Jan. 27, he had reached 1,000 boxes, The Garrett County Republican reports."  And, that's just since he turned a hundred, according to an Instagram post included with the CBN story.

And, the total numbers are in for this past year's Operation Christmas Child effort - 9.1 million shoeboxes were collected in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, according to another CBN.com story.  7.8 million of those were collected in the U.S.  Franklin Graham heads the ministry, and is quoted in the article as saying: "This has been a difficult year for many children around the world...More than ever, they need to be reminded that God loves them and He hasn't forgotten them. I thank God for the incredible team of volunteers who serve year-round to share the hope of the Gospel with children—one shoebox at a time."

More than 570,000 volunteers were reportedly involved in the effort, including 270,000 in the U.S. There were over 4000 collection sites across America, and the story notes, "The new concept of a touch-free, curbside drop-off system for people donating shoebox gifts was introduced which allowed donors to safely contribute to the cause."

Operation Christmas Child has been so effective for a number of reasons.  For one thing, it's simple. Participants pack a shoebox full of toys, school supplies, and other items.  We humans have a tendency to complicate things; Franklin Graham and his team have made things simple. 

Operation Christmas Child also helps to foster cooperation - families can get together and acquire the gifts and assemble the boxes.  Churches organize around the effort and become partners in an effective missions effort.  It's a ministry to children, which appeals to people of all ages who get involved.

It also gives a person an opportunity to play his or her part in the Great Commission.  These boxes get the attention of kids, and when the point is made that this shoebox gift represents the greatest gift that has been made available to anyone - the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ - it resonates with the children.  

We can ask ourselves: where are we serving?  How are we spreading God's love?  Here is one avenue to allow God to manifest His love through someone. 

Surfing Through Adversity

One can look at Proverbs 31 and be challenged, perhaps, or trust in the Lord to produce the characteristics and attitudes that are reflected there. For instance, on this Mother's Day, we can gain a sense of God's equipping for our moms:

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all."

Not only do we see certain capabilities that God makes available - to speak with wisdom, to be sensitive to the needs of a household, to be active in doing God's work.  But, we also see how children and fathers can be affirming toward the mothers in their midst.  Children - that means all of us - with mothers, can be complimentary and respectful.  And husbands can be careful to "praise" their wives, as well. In our families, as we are dedicated to bringing praise to God, we can look for ways to praise each other, including our moms.

+++++

There is great advantage in life when we consider the principles of Scripture and show respect to our mothers and fathers.  Respect for parental authority can produce healthy attitudes and actions. Ephesians 6 echoes the Ten Commandments, which are found in Exodus 20, stating:
2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise:
3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

We can rejoice that God has given us the components through which we can live a life that honors Him, an abundant life even though there may be challenges. We have impedances along the way, yet in our weakness, God is strong.  For instance, the apostle Paul had a "thorn in the flesh," which helped Him to realize God's strength in His own life.  While there may be physical struggles and scars, there are also the spiritual and emotional wounds and losses.  But, through all of them, God is faithful, and He will use our pain to draw Him closer to Himself.

You are probably familiar with the story of Bethany Hamilton: her story is told in the book and movie, Soul Surfer.  She lives life with an impedance: she has only one arm.  She has been and continues to pursuing being a competitive surfer and when she was much younger, she lost that arm in a shark attack.  

At age 31, she is a wife and the mother of three children, the most recent arriving in February. The Movieguide website includes some Instagram material in this section:

“Mom life. Not always smiles. The balance. The ups and downs. The the most beautiful gift but also so incredibly challenging…Sleep deprivation. They cry. They stretch us mentally and emotionally. I cry. But then they smile and coo and nurse sweetly,” Hamilton wrote.

However, Hamilton is grateful to God for the “challenge and joy” of raising children.

“Thankful for this life and the beauty of motherhood. Thankful for my family, friends, my husband and boys,” Hamilton wrote. “Grateful to God to have this beautiful challenge and joy.”

And, as the article notes, she has implemented, as she says, “tricks and adaptations," which "are getting better with each child.” She also related on Instagram, "I use my feet to help with diaper changing, lots of pillows with nursing, a baby carrier all throughout the day and tricky styles of holding to keep baby’s head up.” One key, according to Bethany is to “keep moving forward, have lil breaks and keep it positive!”

This Sunday is the day set aside to honor mothers, although it's a practice that should ideally be done consistently.  We can certainly appreciate the high call that God has given to those who are mothers and realize that not only is the call there, but the ability is, as well.  Guests recently have addressed the incredible equipping that God makes available to those who are called to be mothers, specifically, and how He provides the capability to fulfill that call.

Bethany Hamilton, in addition to demonstrating the heart of a mom, also shows the mechanics of a mom.  There are certain skills that are helpful in raising kids, and she is doing it with only one arm, which is totally amazing.  But, there will be things that could hold all of us back in fulfilling what God has directed us to do - we can depend on the companionship, power, and wisdom of the Lord to sustain us and to flow through us in order to bring Him honor.

Praying By the Numbers

The 2021 National Day of Prayer has, as its theme, “LORD pour out Your LOVE, LIFE, and LIBERTY.” The theme Scripture verse is 2nd Corinthians 3:17 NKJV, which says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”  

Throughout our nation, people are coming together and joining their hearts together to call out to the Lord.  We certainly need the mercy of God for our nation, and we can cry out for a move of God, that He would, as the theme suggests, pour out those three elements.  We know that a loving God desires to bring people into a saving knowledge of Christ and to give them eternal and abundant life.  And, true liberty - freedom in Christ - poured out in our hearts can transform our lives.  He has set us free and we are free to come together and unite our hearts so that He may be glorified.

+++++

God invites us to come into His presence, to seek His face, and to humbly call out to Him. 1st John 5 can fortify our expectation. In that chapter, we see these words:
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

This is the day set aside to observe a National Day of Prayer, an American institution that was originally set aside in 1952, directing the President of the United States to set aside such a day.  That's according to the National Day of Prayer Task Force website, which says that in 1988, Congress passed and President Reagan signed the authorization for a National Day of Prayer, to be observed the first Thursday in May. 

This is the 70th annual observance of the National Day of Prayer.  The theme is "Lord, Pour Out Your Life, Love, and Liberty."

The Presidential Prayer Team has partnered with the National Day of Prayer to offer opportunities and encouragement to pray on this special day.  Last year, the Team partnered with George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University for a survey on some of the dynamics of the practice of prayer in America; I want to revisit some of that information.

According to a summary on the Prayer Team's website, 45% of adults in America "claims to pray every day." Also, as the summary states, "An additional one out of five (20%) prays at least once a week, but not daily. Almost as many (17%) pray irregularly, with 15% saying they never pray."

The level of involvement and awareness of matters of government and politics is actually stronger for people who pray. The survey found that "Those in the general public who pray regularly are more likely than those who do not to pay “a lot” of attention to news about politics and government. Among people who pray at least once a week, 30% pay a lot of attention to such news compared to just 21% among people who pray less often or never."

Why do people pray? This survey offers some insight. In the general public, people pray because for a number of reasons - here are some of the principal ones:

• 64% of those surveyed say they "believe it is a meaningful way to communicate with God,"
• 57% say "prayer is central to their personal relationship with God,
• and 57% responded that it is one of their ways of worshiping God,
• 55% stated "it helps them to cope with challenging situations," and
• 53% say that "praying gives them reason to hope for a positive resolution to difficult situations."

And, who do people pray for? The survey summary relates, "Respondents in the general public were asked which, if any, of six entities they pray for in a typical week. A majority of adults say they usually pray at least once a week for three of those six: other people they know (75%); the country (61%); and the military (53%)." The other areas are: the President, other governmental officials, and people with whom they disagree.

Almost 4-in-10 of those surveyed said that "God hears and answers all prayers," while only 2-in-10 say that He hears all prayers but will respond according to His will. 

According to this poll, a total of 85% of American adults pray, with almost two-thirds praying at least once a week.  Prayer is not a spectator sport, we have to be in the game, as participants - it's not intended to be casual activity, but consistent in its practice.  James describes the importance of "fervent prayer."

So, we can be challenged to be engaged when we pray, anticipating that God will respond according to His will.  He is not some sort of magic genie who answers everything we ask, no matter how selfish, but He is a loving God who calls us to come before Him with reverence and awe, presenting our requests and confident that He hears. We can be specific with what we present.  And, we can be responsive - giving Him praise for His love, goodness, and faithfulness, and taking action when He directs us.

Prayer and Connection

When we, as the people of God, realize that we are not alone and that God is with us and available for us to call on, we can know we have the capacity to see Him do incredible things. In Matthew 18, Jesus taught:
18 Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

The believer in Christ can kneel in prayer and bow before the Maker of the Universe, the Ruler of Heaven and Earth - we have been granted that access and authority to align ourselves with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, as well as with fellow believers. When we cooperate and connect as the body of Christ, there is great power that can be released; in our agreement, God shows up and faithfully responds in order to do according to His will.   

+++++

There is great spiritual power available to the believer in Christ, and we access the resources of heaven as we seek God's face and call on His name. Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--
19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

We are on the eve of the National Day of Prayer, which galvanizes people to join together physically and spiritually together in agreement for different areas of our society.  Events will be occurring around the nation and throughout the Faith Radio listening area tomorrow, as communities and churches will be coming together to pray in a more normal fashion than we experienced last year during COVID.

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the way we celebrated the National Day of Prayer last year and it gave rise to a new prayer feature on social media.  ReligionNews.com reported recently on a new feature that Facebook is testing out: "Prayer posts. The function will allow members of Facebook groups to ask for and respond to prayer requests."

The story, which refers to a Facebook spokesperson who confirmed this is in the testing stage, states: "The idea for prayer posts grew out of the myriad ways users have connected over Facebook while distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the spokesperson."

Nona Jones, who is the head of Global Faith Partnerships at Facebook - yes, that is a real position, believe it or not, states: "Our mission to give people the power to build community extends to the world’s largest community; the faith community..."

The article goes on to say:

In its Year in Review, Facebook noted that the week of Easter and Passover 2020 — which fell in early April, about a month into lockdowns across the country — saw the most group video calls ever on Messenger, Facebook’s private messaging app. It also saw the most Facebook Live broadcasts from “spiritual” Facebook pages.

Again, this is in the testing stages, and the article gives some insight into how it will work, stating:

Group administrators must opt in to allow members to use the feature, which gives members the option to post prayer requests in the group.

Other members can then click a “pray” button to let the original poster know they have prayed for their request. They also can choose a reaction, leave a comment or send a private message to the poster.

Christianity Daily, in reporting much of the same information about the new feature, did point out that: "The move comes after backlash over Facebook was accused of censoring conservatives...The tech giant claimed, however, that 'the right is better at connecting with people on a visceral level,' as reported by Politico."

Much of the discussion over Facebook's alleged censorship centers around government protection it receives under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The National Religious Broadcasters website quotes NRB CEO Troy Miller: “Much has changed since Section 230 was written in the 1990s. It has essentially protected Big Tech from lawsuits regarding content removal and has certainly been abused, in particular regarding conservative and religious content. As such, it needs to be reexamined in light of its original intent,” adding, “We look forward to working with Congress, the administration, and tech companies to ensure that our members can continue to preach the gospel uninhibited.”

Bottom line: we love Facebook, we use it, but there are Christians who have found themselves suspended or banned from the platform.  There are those that would blame it on the algorithms, but there is legitimate concern over some speech that is consistent with Biblical values that has disappeared from the platform due to its content.  

But, to its credit, Facebook is seemingly making an effort to accommodate people of faith by testing out its prayer feature. And, we know how social media and texts, complete with emojis in some cases, can be encouraging to people who are in need of prayer.  It's not that Facebook has found religion, but it is wise to not alienate a sizable portion of its user base.

Finally, we can always be reminded to pray for one another.  And, let one another know that we are doing so. We don't need to throw around the words, "I'll pray for you," and not do it; we should follow through and perhaps even let the person know we have done so.  In the body of Christ, we are family, and we can bear one another's burdens and go before the Lord in prayer.

Guardian

We are approaching the National Day of Prayer, and one of the seven centers of influence about which ministry leaders will be praying on Faith Radio this Thursday is government. 1st Timothy 2 instructs us to pray for our leaders. Under their authority and under God's authority, we have so many individuals who serve in carrying out the role of government. Romans 13 states:
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.

We are people under authority - we are ultimately accountable to Almighty God, who has established earthly authorities to whom we submit.  We also have what verse 5 alludes to, that is, our conscience.  The conscience within us, if it has been programmed correctly and is submissive to the Holy Spirit, gives us a sense of right and wrong, and we can train ourselves to pay attention to it.  The conscience keeps us obedient to earthly and heavenly authorities and you could say that it ensures that we obey even when no one's around to check up on us. 

+++++

God is our ultimate defender, and we find that He places human beings in the position to love and serve one another, and He has established earthly authorities to carry out His justice. Psalm 82 states:
2 How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.

The nation was intently watching the trial of a Minneapolis police officer who was found guilty in the death of George Floyd.  There have been other police-involved incidents in our land, as well, in which the justification of the use of force has been questioned.

These types of encounters throughout the years have sadly been used to paint a negative picture of those whom God has placed in authority to keep us safe.  We could certainly use some more positive portrayals of these individuals in our communities who put their lives on the line in their occupation.  There are very few lines of work in which the employee may run the risk of not coming home to his or her family. Police work is one of them.  

So here's a story I came across.  It's actually from a few months ago but the principles here ring true. 

Last summer, there was a Philadelphia woman who was walking to her home and was hit by a truck, according to The Epoch Times. The story says:

On July 21, 80-year-old Maryalice McGrath was crossing an intersection in Port Richmond, Philadelphia, when she was hit by an oncoming truck. Maryalice, a lifelong resident of Port Richmond, was on her way home, reports WPVI.

Officer Frank Lynch was driving behind the truck that hit Maryalice and attested that neither the elderly pedestrian nor the truck driver saw the other one coming.

What he did next was remarkable:

Lynch called for an ambulance but quickly determined that Maryalice was not going to survive. He braved the burning asphalt and lay down in the street next to the elderly woman, offering her what company and comfort he could in her final moments.

The selfless police officer was later treated for burns at the local hospital.

McGrath's niece, Molly Quinn, said: “I think he was there for a reason and he was her guardian angel,” adding, “and he went above and beyond the call of duty by just lying in the street next to this poor woman when she needed him.”  

Lynch posted on Facebook: “I’ve been reading everyone’s comments and trying to keep my composure during this ordeal...It was a horrible thing to happen to such a loving sweet woman.” He went on to say, “Many of the comments used to describe me was the word hero...I was nothing but a compassionate human being who stayed with Maryalice in her remaining time on this Earth … I’d like to take this time and thank ALL of the officers that helped that day … I couldn’t have done what I did without all of their help.”  He also asked for people to keep the driver of the truck in their prayers.

Lynch doesn't want to be known as a hero, and, realistically, he's not an "angel," either.  But, the term, "guardian angel," in our cultural vernacular has come to be a complimentary expression.  We do know that God has provided angels for us, supernatural beings, who are called in Scripture, "ministering spirits," who are assigned for purposes of protection and even direction.  We can be encouraged that these beings are sent by God to engage in spiritual warfare on our behalf.

And, we do have human protectors, who are in essence doing the work of God, as outlined in Romans chapter 13.  An overwhelming amount do their job seriously; we know that some have erred, and unfortunately in the real world of split-second decision-making, mistakes are bound to happen. 

We also recognize that even though it appeared the 80-year-old woman in this story who had been hit by a truck would not make it, the officer did not leave her side - he comforted her.  Thank God for those who walk with those who are living in their final days, and those that come along side of them and their families!   

Kindness of Strangers

God will use the compassion that He has given to us in order to meet needs in His name.  Coming up, on The Meeting House, you will hear a story of a person described as a "good Samaritan."  That 
parable is found in Luke 10 - we find a man beaten and robbed and left by the road. Our Lord teaches:
31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

The compassion moved him to action. Verse 34 says, "So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him." Then the man left money with the innkeeper to further take care of the man. Jesus asked:
36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"
37 And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Jesus says to love our neighbor as ourselves, and this parable was His answer to the question, "Who is my neighbor?"  Two men walked by, the Samaritan stopped - he ministered to the broken man's needs...He demonstrated the mercy of God, which we have been given because we know Christ.  We can be looking for ways to show His mercy, because Jesus has shown mercy to us.  

+++++

We are called to sow seeds of love, life and truth into people's lives, and our Heavenly Father is the one who provides us with those seeds, according to 2nd Corinthians 9, which says:
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

A Texas man named Kenneth Smith was down and out.  He found himself "hungry and homeless," according to a Faithwire article, and was outside a local restaurant and a women asked him if he was OK; he told the woman who asked that he was not. 

The article relates:

“I told her, ‘No, I’m not OK at this time,’” Smith recalled to WFAA-TV, telling the outlet the woman then gave him a $100 gift card to the steakhouse so he could have a warm meal.

After sitting in the booth for a while, Smith struck up a conversation with the restaurant’s managing partner, Laura Hodges. 

Hodges told the TV station, “I said, ‘Hey, I don’t ever want you to want for food or go hungry,’” adding, “I want you to always have somewhere that you can get a warm meal.” She handed Smith her business card and told him to come by "any time."  He began to drop by to eat for five months and asked Hodges for a job - he is currently employed by the steakhouse.

But, in the meantime, he needed a place to live.  Faithwire reports that, "Hodges took to a local Facebook group — the Fort Worth Foodies — to ask if any of the members knew of a nearby motel with affordable nightly rates."  It turns out that group members took care of his hotel stay for six weeks and have given Kenneth over two-thousand dollars!

Smith is quoted as saying, "I think it’s so much of a good blessing," adding, “And it’s wonderful just to have people these days that’ll do things for you.” He apparently recognizes the hand of God in his life, stating, “This is a whole new beginning that God has blessed me with...so I’m trying to get on this right, good track that He wants me to stay on.”

And as Laura Hodges points out, it started with the woman who gave Kenneth a gift card.  She stopped and asked the man if he was OK.  Kenneth said he wasn't.

Does it or perhaps should it occur to us that by saying we're OK when we really aren't prevents a move of God in our lives?  I think there is a human tendency to say we're fine, and we end up missing a blessing for ourselves and denying a blessing to someone who may want to minister to us.

And, we should always be willing to ask the question when we see someone who may be in need - sensitivity is a key, and the openness to respond when we get the answer. That could certainly result in a prayer, but it could also result in an actual step or two in actually meeting the need. Or, perhaps, like to lady who surrendered her gift card, we can take what we have available - what God has given to us and recognize that is the purpose. 

You could say that God had not forgotten about Kenneth Smith - He wanted to do a work in His life.  And, we can remember that the Lord is orchestrating events in our lives.  Maybe you can recollect times in which He has brought the right person or provision in your life - that can strengthen our faith and bring Him glory.