December 3, 2010 A Big Arm

A Big Arm

Day 18: Luke 1:51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.

GOD has a big arm, doesn’t he? I checked through the Old Testament and found a number of references to “outstretched arm”. Each time the phrase demonstrated God’s power to deliver his people from harm.
This reminds me of a loving parent who reaches out to protect a child from a car coming down the street, from falling off a bicycle or from the pain of someone’s hurtful words. God’s “outstretched arm” protected his people and delivered them into the Promised Land of safety and abundance.
If you are feeling weak or not very important, please know that God’s outstretched arm is ready to embrace you, protect you and fill you with his goodness. God’s mighty power is at the ready to care for you when you humbly go to him and tell him, “Forgive my pride, Father God. I am weak in my ways, and I know you are my strength. Embrace me with your outstretched arm, Father. Fill me with your strength that I may rest and rejoice in you.”
As we leave Mary’s praise to the Father, I encourage you to take some time to speak or write your own praise to God. Speak to him of your needs. Proclaim to him your love for him. Celebrate the ways he has cared for you in your life. Praise him for the ways he will care for you tomorrow.

Pause and Consider: Praising God will give you great joy. Write it down on the next page.


Angels in the House?
Read Hebrews 13

Heb 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

I HAVE always marveled at this verse. The possibility that angels may come to us in the form of humans and “test” us to see if we care for them is astounding. It has happened.
In Genesis both Abraham and Lot had the opportunity to care for and even to protect the angels that came into their presence. Why would God do this, send angels to test our desire to care for people in need?
It shows God’s great desire to care for the needy. The bible from beginning to end has a strong message of caring for those to whom life has dealt a harsh blow. God establishes a number of rules for his people to care for and feed widows, orphans, and others in need. Jesus’ ministry, obviously, was amid the lowest classes of society. The poor are everywhere and constant.
Yes, sometimes people are lazy and make bad choices that lead to their poverty, and God will deal with them.
But there are plenty of people who have huge struggles from circumstances they can’t control. Yes, poverty is the result of difficult circumstances in a world of sin and “me first”.
God wants us to help those in need the best we can. He doesn’t want us to judge the poor—just care for them.


Pause and Consider: the reasons people are poor. Is there anything you can do to change one of those reasons?