Five devotions to help you share God’s love for the poor

Links to all devotions in the series
1. Ownership
2. Power to help
3. Help for the poor
4. Love in action
5. Love’s reward 

Devotion 2: Power to help

Read

1 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
2 I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.
6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
8 the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord.

Psalm 146:6

Consider

Human history makes us rightfully nervous about one person having too much authority and power. But the Lord God has absolute authority over all that exists. How does he use that power? He uses it to help those that have no power and those who have great need.

This is at odds to how much of the world operates. When we are given more authority, more influence, we often see that as a benefit to ourselves, rather than a greater opportunity to serve others. We often have more power than we realise. And we should use that power in the service of others, for that is how God uses his power.

The ability to pay for coffee or clothes is a form of power, but it does not give us reason to demean the retail worker or waiter serving us. We may have physical strength, but we should use these muscles to help and not hurt those who are weaker. We may have a position of authority over others, in the workplace or through experience or social dynamics. Let us use that authority to help those in our care.

Question

1. Why does God have a heart for those who are weak, or in need?
2. What power do you have? How can you use that power to serve those around you?

Pray

Gentle Father, you have great power, beyond what I can imagine. Thank you that you use your power to care for those who are in great need. Please give me an understanding of the power you have given me, and the will to use that power in the service of others. For the sake of Jesus I pray this.
Amen.