Written by Rob BailesToday I was thinking about the times when I worked hard at teaching my girls how to help others in need because it was the right thing to do! We would do things like take food or clothes to people in poor sections of town.
In 1999 I read something, that greatly disturbed me, while I was on a quest for knowledge and wisdom.
What I read, said that I would parish if I didn't do certain things in my life here on earth! When I talked to someone at church about this, he said, "Isn't that a parable?" So I went back and read it again and one more time to make sure I was correct. It wasn't a parable at all!
This was about something that is really going to happen one day!
What I didn't understand, when I first read it, was that I would not have to work at it; nor would I be trying to keep up with what I had done or not done .
You see, when I first read this passage, I had not yet fully understood the plan that God had for me. I didn't fully understand that it was God who gave us the grace and mercy that would make us pure in His sight so that we would not only be a part of His family, but I would also have a natural desire to do the things I read about whenever I had the opportunity!
What is it that I read that day? Lets read it together now,
Matthew 25:31-46
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
I knew it, when my life was change that day in February of 2004, while sitting in my kitchen searching for the answers to life and coming to the place where I would accept the grace and mercy of God and knowing from that moment to this that I had a new desire to do these things out of the compassion of my heart! The Spirit of God now dwells inside of me and I am truly a new creature! The old stuff has passed away.
I want to share an eleven minute video that someone shared with me. I hope that we will carry the lesson in our hearts and remember what God will say one day, "When you did it to the least of these, you did it to me".
No comments:
Post a Comment