Help – Word for the Soul

“You will always have the poor among you.” John 12:8 NLT

World Vision reports that according to the World Bank, 712 million people live in poverty across the globe. As of 2022, 38 million people in the United States live below the poverty line, and nearly 90% of children living in either sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia live in poverty. (1) There is much work to do in helping the poor. Yes, the Lord’s work is on-going, it never ends.

Jesus Himself said, “You will always have the poor among you.” (Jn.12:8 nlt) He said that 2,000 years ago, and we can see the truthfulness of His words. Jesus spoke those words in defense of Mary who was chastised for anointing Him with expensive perfume. Jesus’ point was, He would not always be with them, but the poor will always be present. There will be plenty of time and opportunities to help the poor, which is also His desire.

We have several examples in Scripture of doing the Lord’s work concerning the poor. Paul was carrying a gift to the poor in Jerusalem collected by fellow believers, he said “I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there. For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.” (Ro.15:26 nlt) James, Peter, and John when endorsing Paul’s ministry said, “Their only suggestion was that (they) keep on helping the poor, which (Paul) has always been eager to do.” (Gal.2:10 nlt) And the Lord God said through Moses to the children of Israel, “There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.” (Dt.15:11 nlt)

Our generation has not missed out on helping the poor, nor has any previous generation. We are all required to be the hands and feet of Jesus and do His work. Caring for the poor and less fortunate in our society is caring for Jesus, for He said, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Mt.25:40 nlt) Let’s keep the work going!

(1) Global poverty: Facts, FAQs, and how to help | World Vision

“My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!” Psalm 121:2 NLT

I am amazed at the technological advances I have seen in my lifetime. It only makes me wonder what the next sixty years will bring. Oh, I won’t see them, I just wonder. Despite all the modern-day advances we have, I still need help at times to maneuver around something I am experiencing for the first time. Once I get the hang of it, whatever I’m working on goes much smoother. It got me to thinking, no matter how far we advance in technology, discover new methods of accomplishing tasks, or coming up with new inventions we can advertise on television for $19.95 plus shipping, it is only through the wisdom God gives us to perform such tasks.

Christians should be thankful for the gift of brilliant, intelligent people the Lord has given us. Advances in the field of medicine have saved millions of lives over the years. I mentioned technology above that has made our lives easier. Space exploration has made it possible to conduct scientific experiments that could not be done otherwise. Gifted musicians and entertainers provide a soothing outlet in our fast-paced world. I could go on and on, and I’m sure you can think of some examples. The bottom line is that God provides all these things to help us.

The psalmist said, “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” (Ps.121:2 nlt) The ultimate source of help in our lives is God the Father. There is nothing He can’t do to help us. He created the heavens and the earth by speaking them into existence. God will come to our aid when we need help. He may even use some of the resources listed above. Even if you just need a song.

Read: Ps 121 NLT – Psalm 121 – A song for pilgrims – Bible Gateway

Tag: Help

The Lord’s Work is on-going…….

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