WATCHWORD:
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:34-40
Meditation:
Fear, Change and Love
Too often the need for change comes upon us suddenly, without warning. An unexpected diagnosis, the sudden loss of a job. We quickly run through the stages of denial until we are faced with the reality that something we never expected, something we resist with every part of our being, is happening or must be done. Cancer, lung disease, invasive tests, surgery, radiation, chemo, etc., words which often generate fear and our mind goes racing. Maybe we hear the doctor say “only one out of a hundred are not helped by this procedure”, but your mind focuses on the thought that “maybe I am that one”.
A while ago a friend of mine, I’ll call her Mary, went through a double mastectomy. I couldn’t imagine what Mary went through ever since the initial diagnosis and then as surgery approached. Even with multiple heart attacks, heart surgery and more than ten other surgeries of my own, I could not get my mind around the impact that this surgery and what it would take away from her. But she recovered and is the strong woman, on the outside, as she was before. How did you get through that and come out on the other side with a positive attitude? She would say, with great confidence, that it was the presence and support of family and friends and her faith in the Lord that brought her through and helped her overcome the fear and the change that the surgery brought.
We often miss the important part of being a friend to the hurting one. Reaching out, being there, communicating support. Maybe we are reminded of a line from the Bible, I was sick and you looked after me, and you realized that meant you. Perhaps you recall those times when it was you in that hospital bed facing a procedure, and how much you needed those expressions of support and love, and the meaning of Jesus’ words became personal.
Mary now lives hundreds of miles away and visiting her was not in the cards, but she has angels of her own who visited, took care of her children when she was enduring the ravages surgery and her treatments, and did a multitude of little things that clearly illustrated Christ’s words. Those angels, those friends of Mary, did not act out of obligation, but out of love. And the meaning of Christ’s words became flesh and blood.
The challenge of our lives in Christ is, we know there is great hunger in the world, what have we done to help? How have we responded to those who were thirsty for water and the word? What has been our response to strangers in our midst, those who were sick, or in prison? How have we measured up to Jesus command to go and do likewise?
Prayer for Strength:
Heavenly father, I have been told that faith is confidence in what is hoped for, and assurance about what we do not see. Father, you know all that we face each day of our lives, but there are times when fear takes away the joy. We keep coming back to you, praying for strength, praying for that confidence that comes with faith. Lord we understand what the young father said to Jesus about having faith, yet he needed his faith to be strengthened. Father we come before you now and pray that you will strengthen our belief. Give us the confidence, as your children, that there is nothing in our lives that I need fear for you are with each one of us. Jesus name. Amen.
