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Your partnership is making a difference... Click here to see our most recent E-NewsetterI decided to read the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) to my son Jonah this morning. It started me thinking about the son’s relationship with his father. I thought about the benefit that relationship gave him in terms of an inheritance. He had both his father’s love and his riches. But the son got in trouble when he began to value the inheritance more than he valued his relationship with his father.
Those who want a deeper relationship with God seek to know His heart. That means they learn that He has a great heart for the poor, for the widows and orphans among us, for those who are oppressed and unable to meet their own basic needs, who have no one to help them but God. God’s concern for the poor is a central, pervasive theme throughout the Bible. Ezekiel 16:49 talks about a people who are “arrogant, overfed and unconcerned, they did not help the poor and needy.” In Amy Sherman’s book, “Sharing God’s Heart for the Poor”, she challenges us to fight intentionally against this phenomenon. Amy describes a friend who donates to Christian ministries the same amount he spends on “wants”—vacations, clothes, eating out, etc. Another family sets aside the cost of one extra meal every time they go out to eat, then sends it to a ministry serving the homeless.
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Christianity is not just a philosophy or a religion—it is a relationship—a relationship with the Father, made possible by the Son. Our hearts should be thankful for that relationship and desirous of keeping it vibrant. But how often do we think only of how much God has given us, and how much more we need?
By reading this webpage, you are proving to me that you have an interest in—maybe even a heart for—the poor. At Desire Street Ministries, we too have a heart for the poor, and appreciate your prayers and support in our mission. We have so much before us to do, and we need your help. I invite you to look through the pages of our website. If you see anything that sparks your creativity about how you might intentionally fight being “overfed and unconcerned”, would you consider helping us make a difference? Our “get involved” webpage lists prayer needs and links to other ways to join us, give and more.
