Isaiah 58:7b — … And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; …
Shelter in Canada is a necessity—especially in winter. The natural elements get harsh and can be harmful or even deadly. Thank God for levels of government and organizations that work to provide shelter for those who do not have it. There are opportunities to be involved with shelters, Habitat for Humanity or other groups that help house “the poor who are cast out.” I need to be open to hearing God call me to open my house to others in ways that may be inconvenient and uncomfortable. I must be careful not to judge their situation. Jesus did not condemn the leper (who was to be cast out) but reached out to heal and make whole. James said true religion involves helping the orphan and the widow. If I were to look into the hearts of those who live on the streets, wouldn’t they all be orphans?
Homelessness is a sad word. A common saying used to be, “Home is where the heart is.” The orphan has no home to attach their heart to. Many people do not truly have the kind of family that God intended. Jesus may not have had a consistent place to lay His head, but He knew who His Father was and who His family was. Do I really know God as my Father? Have I allowed Him to touch every area of my heart with His love so that there is no vestige of the orphan remaining? I have the great opportunity to offer relationship with the heavenly Father to those I meet. I can start with welcoming everyone to God’s house and His family on a Sunday morning. I can invite people to my home for a meal. I could make my house a home for others, even if they don’t live there.
Father, I need to truly know You as my heavenly Father in the deepest parts of my heart. If I still have the heart of an orphan, I do not have the fullness of Your heart to offer to the orphans that walk this world. Help me to see the homeless. Help me have a heart for the orphan. Let me not invest money in orphanages overseas without investing my life in the orphanage that you desire our church to be. Show me practical ways every day to reach out to the homeless with Your love.
[Also meditate on: Ps. 127:1; Mt. 12:46-50, 25:31-36; Luke 9:57-58, 15:11-32; ; John 19:25-27; Rom. 12:9-13; Jas. 1:22-27; 1 John 3:1-3]
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