Deliver the Poor
Scripture Reading: Job 29
“Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy,” Job 29: 12–13.
Deliver the Poor
Father God, we thank you because you are great and you do miracles that are great. We thank you for the priviledge of receiving the miracle of life, for your provision, and for the miraculous in our circumstances. We pray that you will give us the grace to remember the poor, to resemble you in thoughtfulness, and do things that will relieve the oppressed.
Lord, we pray that your favour will descend upon our lives like the dew upon the grass in the name of Jesus.
In Job 29:11 we discover God’s view of delivering the poor. “When the ear heard me, then it blessed me: and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.” God blessed Job because he helped the poor, the fatherless, and the widow. Job says, “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I break the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth,” verse 14–17. What a testimony Job was able to give, Job shows us examples of what we need to do to find favour with God.
When we help the poor, we are really helping God. We need to keep an eye and mind on those who are poor, for the fatherless, and for those who have none to help them. May God give us all the grace to bless, encourage, strengthen, and empower those who are ready to perish. May God give us the grace to remember the widows in our midst. Ask Him to give you ideas that will cause them to sing again. May God give us the grace to put on righteousness.
Righteousness is doing right things toward your fellow man. No matter how small a thing you can do right now, just do it. Open your eyes and acknowledge that no matter how difficult you think things are for you, there are people who do not even have what you have. They need to experience a loving touch. The Bible says when you reach out to others, when ears hear you, they will bless you; when eyes see you, they will give witness to you. There are many who are heard but not blessed. If you speak and people listen, if you are blessed by the attention of people, then you are indeed enabled to communicate. But if you have a message and you are eager to preach but the people do not want to hear or listen, maybe it is because you have not remembered the poor, the fatherless, and the widows. In many ways as Christians we are guilty of this.
We have a thousand words to preach to those who want to hear, but when people choose not to hear, not to listen, we judge them. Maybe they are not listening because they are hungry for something else that you need to give them first.
Can you imagine taking blessings, provisions, and food to an area that is less priviledged? This will bring great joy to the people there. The door is now open for you to speak; their ears will be open. But when you go with just your language, your interpretation of the Bible, and you shout and then say, these people are hard-hearted, they do not want to listen, you have missed something. Today, God is sharing the secret of how to get people to listen. Remember the poor, the fatherless, and the widows so that when you preach, men will hear. When you talk about the Bible you will be received with open ears; they will bless you because you remembered the poor.
Many times when we go out to witness, people do not give witness to us, they just walk past. Wherever you minister, subway, bus, on the street, community hall, you will find ministering difficult if you have not made an effort to help the poor. The people you are trying to reach will not acknowledge you or grant you the favour of being heard when you overlook their basic needs. May God give us the grace to assimilate this nugget from the Word of God.
I encourage you today to remember the poor who cry around you. There are many children who suddenly become orphans. Many do not have fathers to take care of their everyday needs. We must especially take care of them. Father, give us the grace to remember the fatherless in our midst. Give us the grace to do the right things by them: give them gifts, letters of encouragement; do things to take away the sting of being fatherless. And as we help the helpless, we will experience the favour of being acknowledged and heard. The people who might otherwise just stare at you will begin to smile at you.
When you speak they will hear. The good news you bring will be received. People will acknowledge you in many ways. May God give us the grace to do this for it will indeed give our Father pleasure.
Father, I pray that you will bless us with the oil of giving, not to those who already have but to those who are in need.
Prayer Points:
Father God, we thank you for all that you have done and for all you are doing. Help us to be compassionate, to open our eyes, minds, and resources to the poor in our midst in Jesus’ name.
