Dear God,
Today I give praise, for there is all the love of heaven for me to accept. Jesus Himself said, “…even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” John 3: 17 He could say this, because He had come from His Father in heaven, in the form of man, for man. And why did God give His very precious Son and why did Jesus come at such danger and sacrifice?
John 3: 16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” So it was not about outright judgement and immediate implemented punishment, but for the world through Jesus to be saved; that Jesus came to earth.
We are saved by His love; and as He does; we are to give His love and care to others, for they are all His chosen. 1 John 3: 16” By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Not often would there be a situation that required giving up our life so another could have life, as Jesus did, But to be so filled with the love of Jesus, that the need of the other is apparently more important than our own life; is possible by His power within.
Jesus however emphasized caring for the poor and giving of our means. Matthew 5: 43 “Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” Challenging for us in this world of fraud and deceit, however we are invited to ask (James 1:5), when we need to know what to do, and He will tell us what to do, and guide us to know the genuine and true need.
I would never want to deprive help for true need, at the peril of not giving of the provision of God, when I have the means to do so. 1 John 3: 17 “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
There are many legitimate organizations, which help the poor and needy. Give us the Your heart O, God, so that we will show Your love to the poor, as directed and empowered by Your Holy Spirit.
1 John 3: 18 “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
Amen