Experiencing God's Love through The 'Least Of These'

I have been in such a "waiting" room lately. Just waiting and wanting to hear from the Lord. He has been so silent with me lately. I have persevered through this time and have just kept my focus on Him, whether He showed up or not. I have been waiting for answers and reasons and directions. All I get is "wait" and "do what you already know to do".As this time has passed, I have felt the pull of my heartstrings toward the poor, needy, helpless, fatherless, widows and elderly. I have always had a place in my heart for them, yet lately I have felt compelled to "get my hands in it". Twice this month, the Lord has sent me two "angels". I'll call them angels even though I doubt they really are. But I do believe with all my heart, they were sent to me by the Father to stir my heart even farther. In this time of silence, I have been given two beautiful, "loud" glimpses of God, and his love and compassion.My first brush with God's work in the flesh was a few weeks ago, coming home on a plane from Florida with my children (now 6, 8, 14). My husband had to stay in Florida for some business. On the flight TO florida, I had enough trouble trying not to have a panic attack- and my husband was with us. I have some slight problems with anxiety :) I dreaded the thought of coming home with 3 children, by myself. Going through security, getting our luggage, the flight...I had never had to do this before.As I boarded the plane for the trip back to our home state, I was seated across the aisle from my 3 children, and there was an older gentleman sitting next to me near the window. He was very quiet and held his head down quite a bit. I debated whether I should say anything to him and I didn't know if he spoke english. He looked hispanic and I saw on his papers in his hand that his last name was spanish. I took the plunge and asked if he was going to Cincinnati also. He spoke up in a very thick hispanic accent, that he was going to see his son in Alabama. He said that his son was a sargeant in the military and would soon be sent off to Iraq in just a couple of weeks. In broken English, this man started telling me all about himself, that he was in the Vietnam war and he had come toAmerica to learn some english and to learn to cook. He was still very upset about being in Vietnam. It was very apparent on his face. He was sad to see his son go to Iraq because he felt that he might not come back. He explained a little to me about how vietnam was for him and my heart just went out to him. They had not known English enough to understand the directions they were given, which resulted in many deaths. He was also concerned about how they were trained to "kill, kill, kill" everyone, not just men. He had such devastation in his eyes.He also shared with me that he saw a psychiatrist about his memories and fear; and that he was on some antidepressant medication. I don't know why, but he felt very comfortable opening up to me, so I just let him talk. He seemed like such a broken man. I just wondered how many people ever give him the time of day.I was so focused on him talking to me and trying to let Jesus love him through me, that I didn't have any worries on the plane! The moment I realized that God had planned this so perfectly, I was so thankful! I could see that I was there to be a listening ear and to pray for him (which I am still doing) and he was there to keep me occupied and keep me from flipping out! :)I had a book by John Piper on my Lap called "Don't waste Your Life". He wanted to see it and read some of it out loud to me to show me his reading ability. This brought up the subject of Christ and living for his glory. I had noticed that He had crossed himself when we took off, so i knew that he had a belief in God. We talked a bit about Christ and living for Him. It was hard because I couldn't understand everything he said, and he couldn't understand all of what i said. But I trusted God would make do.At one point, he took out his I.D.s and his veterans card, etc...just to show me more about himself and I looked at his name... his first name was "Angel". I almost cried when I saw that. I felt that he was truly sent by God for me.. and I for him. He kept repeating the phrases "don't waste your life" and don't waste your time". He had a hard time understanding the difference at first. But even now I keep hearing him say "don't waste your life and don't waste your time".As we departed at the airport, he shook my children's hands and explained as best he could, to "respect your parents", "do your responsibilities" and "don't watch too much t.v.". I told him that I would be praying for him and his son. He was grateful- and so was I. To this day, I am praying for healing and restoration in his heart and life.For the first time in quite awhile, this was a glimpse of God and his love and compassion- in such a personal way. I felt as if I was ministering to the "least of these", but that he also was ministering to me more than I would ever know. God ministered through us both, to us both.Matthew 25:40 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'To be continued with my second "Experience of God's Love Through the "Least of These" pt.2"....In His perfect love, Chanin

Experiencing God's Love Through the Least of These -pt.2Since my first encounter with "Angel" (from last post), my heart has been filled with a longing to minister to the 'least of these' , even more than before. I have been crying out to God to show me which direction He wants me to go in, what is His will for me at this time. As I said before I have been in a time of 'waiting'. Again, just a few days ago, the Lord met with me to confirm all that I have been feeling in my heart about taking time to open my heart to the less fortunate. He met with me in a fast food parking lot.I was coming home from running some errands with my youngest daughter and decided on the spur of the moment to stop at a fast food restaurant to get a quick bite to eat, since it was past dinnertime. I went through the drive-thru, and as I got up to the window, I noticed an elderly man with a cane, walking around in the parking lot. He had a white styrofoam cup in one hand and he was bending down every once in awhile to pick something up and put it in the cup. He looked as if he had had a stroke because one hand was curled up a bit and did not work as it should. I really didn't know if he was picking up coins or bottlecaps or what. My heart went out to him the moment I saw him. I pulled away from the window trying to see what he was putting in his cup. As I was nearing the exit of the parking lot, I decided to go back around the parking lot once more. I had decided that if it was money he was looking for, that I would contribute to his funds. I slowly pulled up to him and put my passenger window down. I asked him if he was picking up coins and he nodded his head slowly and answered that "yes, he was but that he didn't need any money from me." From his slurred speach and the way one side of his face barely moved, I knew he definitley had had a stroke or some other serious event had taken place with his health. He continued to tell me that the spare change that he picks up, he uses to get things for his grandaughter- and "it just gives me somethin' to do". Then he told me that at one of the stores behind us, that at a certain time, they unlock the place where they keep the garbage bins and then he is allowed to root through the trash to see what treasures he can find. Again, he said that it gave him something to do.He had such a peaceful, sweet spirit about him, so I asked him about his grandaughter. He told me that she was about 5 months old and had a heart condition. As soon as he said that, the fleeting thought went through my head, "well maybe he does want money of he is telling me this". But right away, as if reading my thoughts, he said "but, no, I don't need any money." I wasn't in a hurry to leave this man, so he briefly talked about his 14 month old grandson with great pride and tears started to welll up in his eyes and his mouth began to quiver a bit. I think he was so happy to just be able to share with a stranger about his grandchildren, who he obviously loved very much. I listened and asked a few questions about them. When I thought it was time to end the conversation I just said "well, I just wanted to make sure that you didn't need anything." And he said "no, but I thank you". Then we looked into each other's eyes- so deeply- like he could see right into my heart and I into his- and again with tears in his eyes and his mouth quivering (and of course my eyes were tearing up as well) He said "God bless you and God be with you". It was the most amazing moment. For a split second, I felt transported to another place and another time. I felt as if we were just two kindred souls in God's kingdom, just meeting one another and ministering to each other.I left that parking lot in tears. I was thankful (for God to give me that moment), I was sorrowful (that it was over and that i haven't done more in the past) and I was guilty about my own materialistic ways and how I held "things" dear to me that don't really matter. I thought I had given up so much in the last few years, but in light of that man, I was a materialistic wretch. I came home with the distinct impression that i had just looked into the face of God.Now I know that I have no option. I must do something more to care for the forgotten, the fatherless, the widowed, the helpless, the shunned. I see when I am near them, they minister to me in such an amazing way. I feel as if I have been in the presence of God Himself. I would much rather be Jesus to the 'least of these' than attend a thousand church 'meetings'.I pray that we all will take time to be Jesus to someone who might be considered the 'least of these'.Matthew 25:40 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'In His perfect love, Chanin

"Never has it been more clear to me that two revivals are in progress on the earth. One is the revival of the Spirit of God by which dead men and women are freed from their sins by the blood of the Lamb and raised to a life which is the life of the sons of God, a life which bears God's nature, manifests God's mercy. The other revival is the revival of religious flesh, a revival which is so appealing and gathers such multitudes and wields such power in this world because it offers all the comfort of religion while allowing you to keep your ego and all rights to yourself. Surely each of us has to decide which revival he is going to be part of . Am I going to invest my life in some enterprise of booming Christian City? Or am I going to lose my life in the pursuit of God's will of mercy? Am I going to concentrate on building something that will cause the citizens of Christian City to sit up and take notice? Or am I going to spend my life bringing the poor and the maimed and the hurt and the blind to the Master's table?" -Robert Burnell (Escape From Christendom)

Sis Chanin you are truly a blessing to me ... Thru your experiences with Him God has shown methe value of deeper surrender/humility, higher love, and now this reminder of who He came for, and of whom He still longs to gather by us, but so many of us, especially in America, have become to high minded to minister to "the least of these" ... The Lord has really burdened my heart as of late to seeing the unborn also as "the least of these" ... i also have a real soft spot for the homeless ...i was meditating and praying on the first part of your post last night, because it was such a heart warming story, and i'm mushy for heart warming ... i like heart warming ... And i began to think about this scripture ...Luke 14:7-1412 He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid.13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind,14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." And so i just began to meditate on just how warm of a person Jesus must have physically been to the poor, sick and down trodden, and then i just began to praise Him for the amazing warmth i myself feel from Him spiritually, and then i heard Him say in my spirit ... "YOU ARE MY INSTRUMENT, MY TOOL"! ... Man! ... if we ever get to the point of allowing the Holy Spirit to get us to the mentality of being His instrument, His tool, we can get way past (like Mother Theresa) who we selfishly feel comfortable in ministering to, and allow Him to use us to (physically-spiritually) minister to whom He wants to minister to just as He did when He was here ... i got a feeling we're about to get a lesson in ministering! ... So keep revealing to us, what He's revealing to you, ok sis? ... Amen

Hi guys,most interesting thoughts! I really do believe that the church is not doing what it's supposed to be doing in these areas- and when it is done, I pray that it is done in the right spirit.Rahman, your verses are similar to the parable I have been thinking about lately also in Matt. 22:1-141 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding." ' 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and F118 cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 For many are called, but few are chosen." I think that so many "invited" guests who believe they are going to heaven just because they got the invitation, will be replaced by those who are unseen, unknown, and seemingly unworthy.Again, cause for us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.I know the things to "to do" for they are written out for me in His word. So why worry about "what to do, what to do?" when I have yet to fulfill these things that have already been laid out for us.James 1:27 Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.In Him, Chanin

This also addresses something major that the Lord has been showing. While we are "waiting"- waiting for answers, waiting for direction, waiting on a shelf- do what you already know to do. :-) The answers will come later, when you least expect it.In Him, Chanin

Sis Chanin,i just got finished listening to a sermon on the book of Joel, where the preacher said that, "We are supposed to be satisfied with the Bread of Life (Christ), instead of all the butter, jam and jelly the devil (over time) has spread on the Bread" ... Meaning that the simplicity of Christ, His Word and commision, gets lost in the satanic spreads (prosperity, health, etc.), or in our own desire for our own new, and personal condiment, in addition to just the Bread alone ... What makes us always want something more than the simplicity of the written Bread, after we've been in Christ for a while? ... Is it as simple as we just don't want to do as you said ...Quote;"I know the things "to do" for they are written out for me in His word. So why worry about "what to do, what to do?" when I have yet to fulfill these things that have already been laid out for us".Do you think that just maybe our problem is that we're selfishly just not content with the simplicity of the Bread (doing what we already know to do from the Word), which in turn keeps us in the flux of something's missing? ... All i know is that when i remember back to when i first got saved all i could see and hear was Jesus, and i both knew, and expected nothing more, than Him, and Him crucified for my sins, and the sharing of this truth ... Is this making any sense?