Friday after the Ninth Sunday after Trinity, 8/25/00

Psalm 145: 15, 16 The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. --NKJV

In the name of the One Who satisfies the desire of every living thing, amen.

Isn't it great to be part of something good? When someone is doing something wonderful, don't you want to jump on the bandwagon? Well, God is doing something wonderful, and he would like you to jump on the bandwagon. God takes care of all creatures, and He has a great preference for doing it through people.

Parents feed their children and provide for them. A person starts a business and needs help so he hires people. This provides a job for the parents which results in their ability to provide for their children. Someday the parents become old and frail and the children are the ones who must provide and care for the parents. Your neighbor loses her spouse and suddenly things are a bit tough. So you occasional help out. The list goes on and on. Ultimately it is God who provides, but we have the privilege of being part of it.

But what about our selfish nature that doesn't want to help, the part of us that hates the poor and the weak? Well, when Jesus was on trial before Pilate, and Pilate wanted to release Him, the people cried out "Let His blood be on us and on our children" (Matthew 27: 24, 25). They intended it as a curse, but God made it a blessing. He covered them, and us, with Christ's holy blood. It is the blood of the new covenant just like the Moses covered the people with the blood of the old covenant (Exodus 24: 6-8). The new covenant, whose blood covers us, says that we are forgiven in Christ. The hatred in us is washed away and we are a new creature that lives for God. Don't try to reclaim the filth that has been washed away by Jesus' blood. Rather, focus on the new man within you. Amen.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You provide for the needs of all Your creatures and we praise You for it. Thank You for making us a part of how You provide for all. Forgive us, Lord, when we resent helping others. Wash our sins away in Jesus' blood as we confess them. Help us by the Holy Spirit to life our life for You, amen.

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