God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them (Hebrews 6:10).
Our Father, God of love and justice, You are concerned for the welfare of Your people. You show that You are amazingly, incredibly, personally tied to all they experience. You have shown through Scripture that kindness to Your people is kindness to You, and that acts against Your people are acts against You.
The prophet Isaiah wrote of Your relationship with Your people, In all their distress He too was distressed..." (Isaiah 63:9). And our Lord Jesus showed us the deep layers of connection as He prayed to You for His disciples, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name, the name you gave Me...My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us…" (John 17:11, 20-21).
And when Saul, breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples, was intercepted on the Damascus road, and asked, “Who are you, Lord?” as a voice from heaven arrested his malevolent mission, the reply was, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:1-5).
We have a double blessing, Lord in Your personal involvement about what concerns us. We have the blessing of living in the shelter of Your sovereignty—Your will, Your protection, Your defense, Your help. And we have the blessing of serving You, and being blessed by You as we minister to others.
Thank You O Lord, for Your perfect laws, Your perfect design, Your perfect applications. Thank You for reminding us that whatever [we do] for one of the least of these brothers and sisters we do for You. And that, conversely, whatever [we do not do] for one of the least of these brothers and sisters we do not do for You (Matthew 25:40, 45). Your word shows us that this is true, not only in material matters, but in matters of attitude, and behavior, and relating.
Help us to seek out and embrace opportunities to help each other, in word, in deed, in posture. Open our eyes to see the ones You have placed before us. Deliver us from the constant temptation towards careless self-interest, callous indifference, and mindless distractions. Give us hearts that continually show our love for You as we love others in active and practical ways.
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