For 2015: A Poem Paraphrased from Psalm 107

{paraphrased from Psalm 107}

... some wandered in desert wastes, their soul fainting within them. they searched for a city, lacking food, lacking water, lacking sustenance, lacking hope. some sat in darkness, for they had rebelled against the words of God. they had been fools through their sinful ways, and their courage melted away in their evil plight. in the darkness, they realized their own brokenness and they too lost hope. 

weary travelers lost in the darkness.
fools captive by their own chains.
us.

then we cried to the Lord in our trouble, and He delivered us from our distress. 

He led us faithfully by a straight way until we reached a city to dwell in. He brought us out of the shadow of death and burst our bonds apart. He calmed the storm and made the waves be still, and He brought us, broken sailors, to our desired haven.

for He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.

let us praise the Lord, for He has brought us to dine on the riches of His love, though we are undeserving. 

let us attend to these things, for the Lord delights and takes pleasure in us.

let us consider the steadfast love of the Lord, how He has walked alongside us for the past days and how He will forevermore.

through the winds and the waves and the desert and the chains, our God has been faithful.

selah.

No Strings Attached: A Rant About the Refugee Situation, the Homeless, and Giving

"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?"

{Matthew 5:46-47}

Do we truly understand what it means to give with no strings attached, no end goal in mind?

Jesus transformed water into wine, multiplying loaves and fish to feed and provide for thousands. He poured Himself out for His people, healing the sick, allowing the blind to see, the lame to walk. He cared for the broken, the lonely, the infirm, the outcast. And at the end of a life of sacrificial giving, the very people He loved for thirty-three years turned Him in, calling for his death, calling for blood. I can't imagine Christ's pain, to hear the very voices that once thanked and worshipped Him demand His crucifixion. 

Christ devoted His life towards ministering and loving a man who would later betray Him for a few silver coins and a people who would turn their backs on their Creator. 

Yet, He thought it worth it. He saw nothing wrong with sacrificing His love and time and energy for an ungrateful, unworthy people.

He gave, pouring Himself out for people He knew would betray Him.

He gave, knowing His gifts would be trampled upon underfoot.

He gave, knowing the loaves and fish would feed people living in sin, refusing to repent, refusing to see.

He gave.

And when we as believers have Christ's sacrifice as our example of giving, why do we see so much hatred around us towards refugees, men, women, and children fleeing for their very existence? Why do we close our doors to individuals who desperately need care and Christ's love? Why do we neglect the homeless, driving by without a second thought to the human being behind that cardboard sign?

Is it really giving if we have conditions, if we need to foresee a good ending, if we have our own standards, "if we only let in law-abiding citizens," "if the money goes to good use," if we only give to those who care for us, if we only give to our own people, if we only give to get good results and to fulfill our own agenda? "Do not even the pagans do that?"

"Innocent before proven guilty." Has that mindset reversed to where we no longer give with open hearts and open hands to a hurting world? Perhaps they don't deserve our money. Perhaps they will simply spit upon our time. Perhaps our efforts will be in vain. Perhaps out of a hundred, ninety-nine will use our cash for drugs and our handouts for a lifestyle of crime or dependence on the government. But if we can help one person, if we can clothe one individual and provide him or her with shelter and a meal, if we can open our doors and have one man, woman, or child experience Christ's love, isn't that worth it? 

Yes, we should give wisely. But all I know is that I don't want to be the one standing in the way of a human being receiving the love of Christ. 

We have been given. And so we must give.

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’"

{Matthew 25:44-45}