5-11-2023

Good Morning All,

         Matthew 25:35; “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” 

     Have you ever been hungry?  I don’t mean the kind of hungry you get if you skip lunch and then eat a late supper.  I mean two or three days hungry.  The kind of hungry where you think a can of cat food or dog food might be ok.  I have never experienced this type of hunger, not even close.

    Have you ever been thirsty?  Many of us can somewhat relate to this.  A spicy or salty meal in the summertime without a glass of water around can be uncomfortable.  But have you ever been so thirsty that you were unable to function?  Have you ever been so thirsty that you have a headache and can’t think clearly?  I have never been that thirsty.

    Have you ever been a stranger somewhere?  Most of us have had “first day jitters” when we start a new class in a new school or a new job; but have we ever been in a place where we don’t speak the language or know the customs and everyone else looks on us with a sense of suspicion because we look, sound and act differently than they do?  I have never experienced that.

    These are just three of the “people” whom Jesus describes as his brothers.  These are the “measure” of a Christian.  Not because we must do some level of works to earn our way into heaven; rather it is the sign of a life laid down.  It is a sign of the love of the Savior showing through us.

    Most of us in this country may not ever really face someone who is really that hungry or thirsty; that is not to say it doesn’t exist or isn’t a problem but rather that we have many ways to address this issue in this country and we continue to strive toward that end.  Yet we do meet many strangers.

     Some of those strangers do speak differently than we do but some don’t.  Some of those strangers look different than we do but many don’t.  Some of the strangers we may see and know from everyday life but how do we interact?  The person who works at the grocery store or large box discount store, would we invite them into our church?  Would we stop and invite them into our life to listen to their story, to hear their struggles and challenges?  Would we try and gain them as a brother or sister in Christ?  Would we truly welcome them in? 

     This is part of the surrendering of our lives to Christ.  This is part of living the sanctified life which God calls us to live.  The world will attack it, but God rewards our faithfulness.  It is by his grace that we live and his grace that we are saved.

Father of mercy, in you alone do we have life.  Give us the courage to live the life which you created and then recreated us to live.  Use us to bring wholeness to the hurting and mercy to the suffering.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,          

Pastor Bret