We are more than half way through this 10 day fast. It has been an amazing time of seeking the Lord - together. I'm so very encouraged by the number of Grace members digging in to seek the Lord at one level or another this week. You guys are great! God is doing something very powerful through this time. It's fun going deeper together as a body.
In Isaiah 58:6, 7 "Is this not the fast that I have chosen...to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?" Here Isaiah makes a huge shift in his emphasis concerning God's chosen fast. It's a shift from the spiritual to a very pracical, physical ministry of blessing the needy around us. Christina made mention of this in an earlier post - about taking some of the food we saved during the fast to give to the needy at Autumn Lakes. Great idea! I'm sure there are other practical ideas God will put on our hearts to reach out to and minister to the poor in our lives. One idea just came to me. Several times a week I get calls from people looking for financial assistance. Grace does what it can to give benevolence moneys each month. But many times we run out and I have to say we can't help. I need to check with Susie, but the thought of inviting some of these folks over for a meal might be an awesome substitute for the money they are looking for! May the Lord lead us in this regard. God is going to grace us to minister to many practical needs even as we press in to seek His face at a whole different level.
Great idea Dad. We could even take contact information for financially strained families and have it out on the information table available to Grace members to bless during that coming week.
ReplyDeleteIt could be just a regular thing that if God is leading you to bless someone that coming week all you would have to do is take a name at the information table that week??
Just a thought.