- 2 Kings 4:8-10 Woman from Shunem set up a room for Elisha to stay when he came by
- Acts 16:13-15 Lydia- insisted that Paul and Silas stay at her house. God gave her trust.
I pray that God would give us trust. As we grow older, our hearts seem to grow harder. But If we have that trust we can know that when we do what God wants us to do, things will work out good- for his purpose!
It was awesome that Lydia opened her house and Paul and Silas always had a place to stay and receive a meal and be encouraged. We need to be that for other people. We need to stop looking at just ourselves and how other people can help us. But how we can reach out and help other people. TRUST right now, with even the little you may feel you have, God can use it in a BIG BIG way.
So I went on to read the story and it talks about a slave girl, physic who followed Paul and Silas for days until they finally got tired of it and commanded the spirit out of her. Her owners were upset because they couldnt make any money from her now. So they got Paul and Silas thrown in jail. And after beaten black and blue and thrown in the worst place, THEY PRAISED GOD! --God sent an earthquake, broke the chains off the prisoners. Its incredible to me, that they didnt say to themselves "Hey its a sign from God, lets run away!"- I probably would have. Yet they stayed uncomfortable because God had them there for a reason. They had known God to be faithful. First setting the slave girl free, and breaking the chains on all the prisoners in the cell... which eventually lead to the guard (people fighting against Jesus) to be fighting FOR Him. I am totally amazed.
Do you know God to be faithful?
Ive read this story time and time over, but this morning God really showed it to me in a new light and I am trying my best to convey it to you. I can't help but think of the many who are in-slaved today, and how much has to be done to rescue these sons and daughters. But if we are faithful, stick around and stay in the fight---just like Paul and Silas we will see many free and come to Jesus. This just excites my soul so much. That my attitude changes to those who ARE being rescued, and even just for one to be saved, my fight is worth it. Tears come to my eyes when I think to a few months back, I had dreams literally scared for my life to get involved in the fight of human trafficking. But as much as my heart aches now for those unsaved, how much more it would to ignore the issue!
We, I, you and Me--need to open not only our homes but our hearts to the people around us. At the end of the story it says Paul and Silas go back to Lydia's house. A home that they know to be safe and they encouraged their friends there. If Jesus is rescuing people, they need a place to stay and be loved on, and that's where we come in. Foster kids, elderly, disabled, trafficked, hurting and even missionaries need places to stay. If we open our homes up (for a fact) because we set out to bless someone, God will actually pour blessings out on us. (See Mark 10:30) He is faithful to do it. He sees us and knows our biggest needs. Lydia, a woman of trust, trust God that He is good and he is able.
My hope for you today starts with a quote "Not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something." We busy ourselves and think we have no time because we're trying to do other than what God has called us to specifically. Ask God what that is for you today. Do you want to set captives free? Do you want to be free? God can give us way more abundantly than we every thought possible to accomplish everything He wants us to do.
Maybe your fight is not directly related to human trafficking. OK. Ask God, He will lead you. Whats your passion? Line it up with God's. Injustice in the world is SO overwhelming; we look at it and say it's too much, there's nothing we can do. But we have to be the change we want to see, we have to inspire those and be thankful for those who have inspired us. We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and what he is doing, Stop ignoring it. Slow down. Enjoy life, God and all he has for you, even right now.
My prayer for us today is what Paul writes to us in Phil 4:12...
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
