Good News for the Poor

1 Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

2 I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.

6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
8 the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10 The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

We all need good news, and the best news is that we are all children of the loving God, who calls us to trust and obey him so that we can live life abundantly. God wants to save us so that we can live life forever with him. God wants this for all of us.

In these devotions we’ll explore what this means, especially for people who experience poverty and hunger, who are also often oppressed, displaced, and vulnerable. That is not the way life is supposed to be. Instead, there should be abundance and flourishing for all. That is the great vision of peace and flourishing that God has for all of his creatures and all of his creation.

The Bible reminds us again and again that God has great compassion for all who are poor and oppressed, and he acts on their behalf. God also wants his followers to love and serve these people in his name.

So let’s think about how we can serve God by caring for poor and hurting people in tangible ways, from feeding and helping people to rebuild after disasters to helping with long-term development.

As we do this, we’ll also be thinking about God and his heart for the poor, revealed in Jesus Christ. And this will lead us into deeper discipleship, doing justice and loving mercy in Jesus’ name.

Thank you, loving God, for the Bible and for your creation, in which you reveal your heart of love and your care for all who are poor. By your Spirit, guide us to share your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.