Today's reading from the LEC Family Advent Devotional is Matthew 25:44 and I've also added verse 45 -- They
also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a
stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
As today's devotional writer states, we usually interpret this passage for its social justice implications. However, I believe, as the devotional writer also believes, that this passage goes beyond social justice. Matthew's audience was waiting for the second coming of the Messiah. They thought that he was coming - right now! But as the months and years went by, they began to wonder if Jesus was ever going to come back. They were impatient. The devotional writer tells us, "It
is to these people that Matthew says, if you are waiting for Jesus to come back
some day, then stop waiting. You can find him right here on earth, right
now, at this very moment. All you have to do is look into the eyes of the
marginalized and the oppressed, and care for them. And when you see their
faces, you are looking at the very face of Jesus himself."
The picture I chose for this devotional says "We are all the least of these." If we view ourselves as the "least of these" -- hungry and thirsty -- maybe it's because we are the ones that are in need of being on the receiving end. Not of physical needs of food and clothing, but spiritual food and the armor of God. Before we tend to the least of these, we must first tend to ourselves.
Today's Advent Photo of the Day
#care #pictureadvent
In the family Advent activity for today's devotional, we are urged to pray for those that are hurting and in need of healing that they might "know there is a God who loves them and never leaves them and people in this world willing to love and care for them." A couple of days ago, I took this picture of a rainbow. Whenever I see a rainbow, I'm reminded of God's promise -- covenant -- to his people. And it reminds me that He loves us and will never forsake us. He cares for us.
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