Hope for the Holidays

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Yesterday we had our benefit spaghetti dinner for Jimmy Jam. I shared a few verses and then a little of my heart and Mrs. Jill Gause Davis stole the show. She shared about righteous giving and the importance of beating down our pride and recieving as graciously as we give. These words rang so true, and are so useful for us at the holidays. There are so many who are hurting, who are struggling financially, mentally, spiritually and physically. Many of us are the ones who are suffering, yet we don't want to take anything from anyone. We just want to puff up and take care of ourselves. I also shared the verse above from Proverbs and then the following illustration. I heard a story of a ship that was sinking in the middle of a storm, and the captain called out to the crew and said, "Does anyone here know how to pray?" One man stepped forward and said, "Yes sir, I know how to pray." The captain said, "Wonderful, you pray while the rest of us put on life jackets--we're one short." Unfortunately, as CHristians our catch phrase is I am praying for you. We say this in all sorts of situations but I want to think a little bit about this. If every single Christian prayed and simply prayed for the needs of those who are hurting, or sick, or struggling in some way. If that was all that ever happened then nothing would ever get better. If I have $50 that I can spare for someone, a friend has another $50, a few others have $50 and all totalled we have $250 to spare to help someone out. Another friend has several pounds of Pork and is an amazing cook when it comes to BBQing, and still another can bake amazing cakes and has all of the stuff to do it. If all of those people simply pray for the needs of those who are struggling then all of the money, the abilities and the possessions are meaningless and in theory so are their prayers. We should instead be praying for ways to be used by GOd, not for God to heal the sick, help the poor and love on the hurting. We should pray for them, pray for their needs and then ask God to show us how to meet those needs. So your prayers are important, but more important is how you pray for those who need help. There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them. Clare Boothe Luce. THink about that, no situation is hopeless, but if we don't use the gifts we have, and do more than pray then those who we pray for will grow hopeless and it may be too late not only for us to help them but also for us to lift their spirits. Thank you so much for everyone who played any role small or large in our day yesterday, from cooking and baking, to purchasing, to picking up the donations and everywhere in between you were a huge blessing and a major part of Freedom becoming a ministry instead of a church. God BLess!