In my previous blog, I started to write about how God exhorts us to reach out to the least in society. I want to look further into this, and see how we can continue to build effective, loving communities, that embrace these people, and grow in that love.
In the famous hymn "All things Bright and Beautiful", the second line of the chorus proclaims
"all creatures GREAT and SMALL"
And in the last verse, it says that:
"He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we may tell.
How great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well."
The bible teaches us that God scours the earth, looking those who will love and serve Him. In Luke 3, there is a wonderful passage which describes how, in the days of the Roman Empire, the Word of God came to John IN THE WILDERNESS.
Why is this important? Well, allow me some preachers license here, as I explain. The Word of God (that which is inspired throught the Holy Spirit) was spoken to a man outside the mainstream. He had no power, unlike Tiberius Caesar (the heir of Augustus), Pontius Pilate, Herod or Annas or Caiphas the High Priests of Israel. I believe that maybe, just as He did with King David's brothers, God bypassed those who he saw had not the capacity to understand His ways, because He knew their hearts. Remember, King David was told by God that He had exalted him from the Shepherd boy to King over Israel; meaning He could as easily put him back there.
The Word of God bypasses the seats of international, national, regional and spiritual power in John's day, to take root in an itinerant preacher in the desert. The wilderness is a dry place, but a place where God does His finest work.
Maybe your out in the wilderness at the moment. Like me, you could be unemployed; depressed that you're not making much difference. And yet, God is taking us on a journey of provision, where He alone will provide in our hour of need. Remember Paul in 2 Timothy? He was pretty much isolated; having been deserted by those he invested his life in, but God stood with him, delivering him form the lions mouth. And he continued to write, to share and inspire others, despite his limited capacity to travel.
A few years ago, I stood on the Island of Malta, overlooking St. Paul's Bay, the traditional place where Paul was said to have been shipwrecked. As I enjoyed the time on the Mediterranean, I felt the Lord say to me that "Malta wasn't in the plan". By this, He didn't mean His plan, but Paul's. Paul's desire was to get to Rome, the Capital of the World. Yet God had him take a little detour to a place that needed to hear the gospel; a tiny group of people that would witness great miracles done by God through this man of faith. On our journey to the top, to the places of influence God may or may not have for us, let us remember people like those on the Island of Malta, who may not be on our radar, but who are certainly on His.
In the famous hymn "All things Bright and Beautiful", the second line of the chorus proclaims
"all creatures GREAT and SMALL"
And in the last verse, it says that:
"He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we may tell.
How great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well."
The bible teaches us that God scours the earth, looking those who will love and serve Him. In Luke 3, there is a wonderful passage which describes how, in the days of the Roman Empire, the Word of God came to John IN THE WILDERNESS.
Why is this important? Well, allow me some preachers license here, as I explain. The Word of God (that which is inspired throught the Holy Spirit) was spoken to a man outside the mainstream. He had no power, unlike Tiberius Caesar (the heir of Augustus), Pontius Pilate, Herod or Annas or Caiphas the High Priests of Israel. I believe that maybe, just as He did with King David's brothers, God bypassed those who he saw had not the capacity to understand His ways, because He knew their hearts. Remember, King David was told by God that He had exalted him from the Shepherd boy to King over Israel; meaning He could as easily put him back there.
The Word of God bypasses the seats of international, national, regional and spiritual power in John's day, to take root in an itinerant preacher in the desert. The wilderness is a dry place, but a place where God does His finest work.
Maybe your out in the wilderness at the moment. Like me, you could be unemployed; depressed that you're not making much difference. And yet, God is taking us on a journey of provision, where He alone will provide in our hour of need. Remember Paul in 2 Timothy? He was pretty much isolated; having been deserted by those he invested his life in, but God stood with him, delivering him form the lions mouth. And he continued to write, to share and inspire others, despite his limited capacity to travel.
A few years ago, I stood on the Island of Malta, overlooking St. Paul's Bay, the traditional place where Paul was said to have been shipwrecked. As I enjoyed the time on the Mediterranean, I felt the Lord say to me that "Malta wasn't in the plan". By this, He didn't mean His plan, but Paul's. Paul's desire was to get to Rome, the Capital of the World. Yet God had him take a little detour to a place that needed to hear the gospel; a tiny group of people that would witness great miracles done by God through this man of faith. On our journey to the top, to the places of influence God may or may not have for us, let us remember people like those on the Island of Malta, who may not be on our radar, but who are certainly on His.
