O Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
For you have made the city a heap,
the fortified city a ruin;
the foreigners' palace is a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
For you have been a stronghold to the poor,
a stronghold to the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;
for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,
like heat in a dry place.
You subdue the noise of the foreigners;
as heat by the shade of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is put down.
(Isaiah 25:1, 2, 4, 5 ESV)
God I struggle to see the ways you have been a stronghold or help to the poor? Does that mean the physically hungry and poor? When and how have you been that. God I am sorry but I struggle to see how you have helped? Is it spiritual, emotional or tangible?
God you say you have a heart for the poor. God I want to see that more. Increase my heart of love for the poor like yours. Amen
From heaven you pronounced judgment,
ReplyDeleteand the land feared and was quiet— when you, God, rose up to judge,
to save all the afflicted of the land. He breaks the spirit of rulers;
he is feared by the kings of the earth.
(Psalm 76:8, 9, 12 NIV)
Again and again God you speak of your love for the poor.
You promise to save the afflicted.
But in my heart I ask these questions
When have I ever seen those in power who are corrupt overturned by God?
And even if you do save the afflicted how can you save them eternally if they do not know you God? For they may never have had the chance due to their great need and oppression. It makes sense they longed for food more than you God.
Do you really save them eternally?
Or is this all actually referring to the afflicted who are his people: those who suffer for Christ? Which are you talking about God, the physically poor or not? Do you really love and have good and life giving plans for the physically poor?