Theme: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Text: “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.” – Psalm 41:1, 2.
Comment: God declares in the book of Isaiah 58:7-11 that the fast that is acceptable to Him is when one feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, provides accommodation to the homeless, etc. “Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer …And the LORD shall guide thee continually…and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
Also dwelling on helping the poor and economically weak elements in the society, God Almighty made a law in those days that those who are economically well-off should not fail to assist the poor who are genuinely in need of help. (Deuteronomy 15:7,8) The law of God talks of economic empowerment of the Hebrew slave who had served for the required period. He should not be allowed to go away empty-handed because, he made no property for himself and needs something tangible to begin life with. They should be given some cattle to breed with; some corn for seed and for bread; and some wine out of the wine press. The law states further that one should not refuse to lend because the request was made close to the year of release. “Thou shalt surely give him…because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.” – Deuteronomy 15:9-15.