This is a devotion that I wrote for my church's prayer blog.
Our writing team is assigned to their week's devo, sometimes months in advance. 6 weeks ago when I chose to write for Compassion Sunday, I didn't realize that as part of my new job, I would be responsible for helping with the event. I love to see how God works and brings all things together like this.
For Compassion Sunday today, we heard a powerful message by Paul Richardson, then a time afterwards to sponsor a child through Compassion International. 408 children were sponsored today. Essentially 408 lives were potentially saved today. What an awesome morning!
But if anyone has
the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against
him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word
or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:17-18
A few years ago our church set up tables with information to
sponsor a child from Compassion International. We really felt led to help but
financially things were tight for our family. However, one treat we did enjoy was going out to dinner once
a week. We decided to give up one
dinner out a month in order to sponsor a child. As a family, we went over and looked at all the sweet
children’s faces on the brochures. One little girl from Burkina Faso, Africa stood
out to us, so we picked her.
Partly because her name was Valentine (our girls are such the little
romantics and they loved her name) and partly because she was close in age to
our youngest daughter and we knew that would be fun. We were so excited and couldn’t wait to write to her then
eagerly waited for her to write back.
In one of her letters she asked us “How can I pray for your
family?” Wow! I was blown away. I realized then that sometimes when we
help someone we receive a bigger blessing than the one we give.
The Bible contains many scriptures about helping the poor and
needy. It isn’t a suggestion; it is a commandment. God doesn’t say if you have extra money or if you feel led,
He simply says ‘feed the poor”. Matthew 25:31-46 tells us about the Final Judgment
and how God will separate the righteous from the unrighteous. He says: 35 For
I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a
stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and
you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then
the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and
feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome
you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and
visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to
you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
When we serve and care for others,
ultimately, we are serving and caring for Christ.
Our love for Christ is what motivates us to love and serve others. It is at the core of everything that we
do. When we sponsor a child, we are giving them more than just food or an
education or a chance to change their lives, we are giving them Hope. Hope that only comes from God.
Lord Jesus, Thank you for loving us and providing for all of our
needs. I pray that our love for you will be so great it will motivate us to
help others and share your Hope with a world that desperately needs it.
Devotion written
by: Ruth Wittenbrook
