Brother in Need

I can’t conceive the pain and loss that is caused by the floods in Pakistan, the earthquakes in Haiti, the forest fires in Australia and Russia, the tsunamis in Indonesia, the earthquakes and mudslides in China, the tornados in America, and the drought in Africa.

I know that one day there will be a ‘new kind’ of heaven and a ‘new kind’ of earth. ‘Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away’ (Revelation 21:1). The good thing is that there will be no more suffering in that new earth and heaven. ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”’ (Revelation 21:4-5).

But at the moment we live in a fallen world, each one of us has a part to play, and I’m asking myself how I can feel God’s heart of compassion and reach out to help the survivors of such disasters. I’m so far away from these things. Whatever I could achieve appears so insignificant. Yet I do believe every person has the power to make a difference. I believe the Lord will guide me to the point where I can help those who are suffering if I ask Him.

I can ask the Lord for a way to make that small difference to somebody’s child, brother, or loved one. With God’s Spirit in me I can have God’s compassion. The Apostle James wrote ‘Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this; to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world’ (James 1:27). He knew that God cares about innocent people who are suffering.

The words of Apostle John confront with the need to take action and bring conviction to my heart. ‘But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?’

Prayer: God in Heaven, we know that Your heart breaks over those who are suffering. We offer ourselves to You that we may know Your compassion in our hearts as we reach out to brothers and sisters in need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.