Reading: Psalm 82

Our walk of faith is a constant balance between God and self.  God calls us to the life of a servant.  Our human nature beckons us to meet our every want and need before looking outside of ourselves.  In our reading from Psalm 82 we are reminded of God’s call on our lives: defend the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and the oppressed; rescue the weak and the needy; and, deliver these from the hand of the wicked.  God’s desire is for all Christians to engage those on the margins and to include them in His love and blessings so that the kingdom of God can draw ever nearer to being a reality here on earth.

Although God calls us to walk alongside those in need we often find it hard to do.  Some of the time we do see a need but do not even know how to begin.  We feel a compassion and a tug on our heart to engage, but we do not know the first step to take.  If we turn to scripture we see an example.  Jesus engaged each person He encountered by first meeting them right where they were at.  In doing so He could discern and then address any needs that He could.

In other cases we choose not to engage even though we feel the Holy Spirit tugging at our heart.  Most often we rationalize it away – I am too busy, I can’t really help, it won’t make a lasting difference.  Unfortunately, when we choose to ignore or push away the call we feel to help another in need, then we are becoming a part of the problem, just one more person ignoring God’s call for justice, compassion, equality, deliverance, and salvation.  Fortunately, God does not ever stop calling us.  God will continue to place person after person, opportunity after opportunity before us.  For this I say thanks be to God!  May we, as agents of God’s love, make the choice this day to begin to care for and attend to the least, the lost, and the last.  Each day may we bring God’s love to the other.