Pensamento:
Qual é a medida verdadeira do nosso caráter? Certamente não é meramente como agimos “na igreja”. O teste verdadeiro do nosso caráter, nossa santidade, é a nossa parceria com Ele na sua obra de redimir os perdidos, esquecidos, necessitados e quebrantados. Quando vivemos somente para nós mesmos, quando os necessitados estão deixados para trás, uma cultura desaba, porque não tem o coração de Deus, e pessoas se tornam invejosas e ressentidas umas com as outras.
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
What is the most accurate measure of our character? It is not merely how we act "at church" or among other like-minded people. The real test of our character, our true godliness, is found in our partnership with our Father in heaven and his work to redeem the lost, forgotten, downtrodden, and broken — or quite literally in this verse, the "foreigner"* and "fatherless" and "widows" among us. When we live only for ourselves and leave the "have-nots" far behind in our practice of love, justice, and mercy, our culture collapses upon itself because it lacks the heart of God for the outcast and alone; in addition, culture breaks down because the people who are the "have-nots" can become jealous and resentful of those who have and the “haves” can feel superior to those who do not have! The real test of our character is how we love people around us who are in need.
* The NIV 11, rather than our usual NIV 1984, is used for this passage because of the translation of the literal term "resident alien" as "foreigner" by the NIV 11 is deemed closer to our modern usage of these terms.
Oração:
Amado Deus, Todo Poderoso e Senhor Soberano, por favor, perdoe-nos e use seus filhos para curar nossa terra. Pai, eu oro especialmente que o Senhor me use para abençoar alguém que não tem ninguém em quem confiar em tempos difíceis. No nome de Jesus eu oro. Amém. || Veja a imagem especial em http://www.iluminalma.com/img/il_jeremias7_5-7.html
My Prayer...
Loving God, the Almighty and Sovereign Lord, please forgive us and use your children who live by your righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful love and justice to heal our land. Father, I especially pray that you will use me to be a blessing to someone in need with no one to turn to in their times of crisis. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
