I’m not sure who it was, but from a testimony in the back of our church during Sunday worship I heard, “See the Need.” It was like the Lord put a post it note up on the bulletin board of my mind and said, remember why you’re here.
Lord: Get my Attention
It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day of life and forget the purpose of Christianity. Above all it’s to see souls saved, but Christ didn’t only preach, he encouraged and taught the disciples how to take care of the people left in their charge. The world has been left in our charge with a service we’re to provide, can you see the need? We can’t fix the world, but we can one by one, see a need and fulfill it.
A burden on my heart has been the waste in my life.
- How much food do I throw out in the course of a week that someone, living alone would appreciate?
- How many clothes do I have that I never wear that someone could use? Not taken to a thrift store (which is fine) but hand delivered to someone so that they could know I care.
- How many times have I wasted time when I could have called on someone that was sick, provided food or ran an errand?
- How many times has God laid the prison ministry on my heart and I’ve failed to follow it through?
Matthew 25:35-40 lays it out plain and simple:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Lord help me to see the need.
Lord: Give me an Action
I am the queen of good intentions but if I don’t make a plan, it goes in the pile of other unfinished projects. Now that God has my attention, I need to take action. I need to make a list of the needs I see.
- MHHS Nursing home visitation
- CRJ Prison ministry evangelization
- Elderly alone that could use encouragement
- Clothes that need given away.
These are needs very much in my wheelhouse of completion. I’ve made my list now to get it done. Who or what is on your list?
Lord: Give me Ability
Working in the ministry takes stamina, finances and opportunity. All of which is the Lord’s will and supply and in the discipline of my living. There are things I can do better, rest more, spend less and look for or make opportunity. And by all means prayer should be in every step of the path. Today will be Nursing home visitation, guitar class, and bible journaling. These are God’s plans for me. You’ll have to decide your own. But I can almost guarantee God has laid a burden on your heart already and you’ve seen the need. Let’s get busy!