How To Have Ever-Ready Faith
OPENING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, help us to be watching and anticipating your return.
READ:
“For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “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 25:42-45
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Philippians 5:20-21
REFLECT:
We are to be constantly waiting and anticipating the return of Jesus as scripture says. Our citizenship is in heaven and that’s where we will spend eternity. Jesus wants us to be ever ready anticipating his final return. Jesus doesn’t just tell us to anticipate but to serve until he comes. Jesus says in the verses above that “whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” and the same applies to us as his followers. We aren’t supposed to anticipate and do nothing while waiting but meet the needs of others.
APPLY:
There are many ways to help others, whether individually or through a ministry. Pray about what God wants you to do to fulfill these scriptures. Re-read the ones where he is commanding us to feed, clothe, and visit the “least of these”.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Thank you for giving us the ability to help others, show us how we can do this Lord. Help us to listen as you call out to us.