Feed The Hungry

READ Isaiah 58:1-14 
“Feed the hungry, 
      and help those in trouble. 
 Then your light will shine out from the darkness, 
      and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” 
Isaiah 58:10

According to Bread for the World, a leading organization in the effort to end hunger, 923 million people in the world today are chronically hungry. Every day, almost 16,000 children die of hunger-related causes. While most in the United States do not suffer from extreme hunger, millions are unable to afford the food they need for a healthy diet.

As God’s people through Jesus Christ, we cannot ignore the reality of hunger in our world. Nor can we sit by while millions starve. Simple compassion, not to mention Christ-like love, calls us to act. 

In the time of Isaiah, God promised that if his people would feed the hungry and help those in trouble, then their light would shine out from the darkness. The same is true today. If Christians band together to fight hunger, not only will millions receive the help they desperately need, but also the world will see the light of Christ shining through us. As Jesus said, “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matt. 5:15-16). 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How are you contributing to the effort of God’s people to feed the hungry? Are you planning to do anything extra in this special season? 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I must confess that it’s easy for me to forget about the hungry. I don’t see them very often. There aren’t many news stories on children dying from hunger. It’s easy to be insulated from the reality of hunger in our world. Forgive me, Lord, for my narrow vision, even for my hardness of heart.

Today I pray especially for your church, that we might be mobilized even more to feed the hungry. Thank you for organizations like Bread for the World, World Vision, and others that help us to meet human need in an effective way. Thank you for thousands of individuals who are using their knowledge and skills to help the poor overcome poverty. Use these efforts and so many others to bring an end to starvation.

Finally, Lord, help me to find my role in this work. Show my family and me where we should direct our giving. Help us to grow, not only in our giving, but also in our personal involvement in efforts to help the hungry.

O Lord, may we shine with your light into this dark world. Amen. 

 

Mark D. Roberts, as Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, is an advisor and frequent contributor toTheHighCalling.org. A Presbyterian pastor, Mark earned his Ph.D. in New Testament from Harvard University. He has written six books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005). He blogs daily at www.markdroberts.com.

2008 Christmas-Friendly Shopping Guide

How leading retailers’ messages rate

Last updated: 12/2/08

We welcome your use of these ratings in your shopping decisions. As an additional way to help you communicate with the retailers we evaluated, we are providing the convenience of a petition which you can sign by visiting focuspetitions.com.

Retailers will be presented with petitions – thanking those that embrace “Christmas,” and alerting those that have purged or marginalized “Christmas” that you object to the secularization of Christmas. We hope you will “stand for Christmas” with us and encourage the continued acknowledgement of this historic Christian observance in our culture.

 

“Christmas-friendly” retailers – prominent acknowledgment of “Christmas”

Bass Pro Shops* Bed, Bath & Beyond Best Buy Cabela’s Circuit City Crate&Barrel Dillard’s Eddie Bauer

JCPenney Kohl’s L.L.Bean Lands’ End Linens ‘n Things Lowe’s Macy’s Neiman Marcus

Nordstrom Pier 1 Imports Sears The Home Depot Target Toys “R” Us Wal-Mart

“Christmas-negligent” retailers – marginalized use of “Christmas”

Barnes & Noble Borders Dick’s Sporting Goods

GAP KB Toys Kmart

“Christmas-offensive” retailers – apparent abandonment of “Christmas”

American Eagle Banana Republic Bloomingdale’s Lane Bryant Old Navy

* National retailers that contacted us to note their support for Christmas.

 

Originally published by Focus on the Family Action. Copyright © 2008 Focus on the Family Action.

Refined in the Furnace of Suffering

I am feeling disheartened today. When I opened my email this morning, I found the following, which seems to be speaking to me- I thought that I would share this, as we all suffer:

READ Isaiah 48:1-11  
“I have refined you, but not as silver is refined.
      Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.”
Isaiah 48:10
When life is easy, we tend to get caught up in trivialities: worrying about our appearance or passing on the latest gossip or boasting in our material possessions or . . . you name it. Often that which matters most gets ignored. We miss family gatherings so we can work a few extra hours. Or when we’re with our loved ones, we spend our time staring at the television. We spend less time with the Lord, skipping church or skimping on our devotions.

The Truth about the McCain-Palin Health Care Plan

Barack Obama And Joe Biden Have Consistently Lied To Americans About John McCain’s Plan. Their claims have failed every fact-check – from CBS to the Washington Post. John McCain is not going to raise taxes on middle class families. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the only ones in this race that plan to raise taxes.