From “Daily Meditation” by the Rev. George Bowen

     Nothing honors the heart of God more than seeing those He loves ministering to the poor.  During this season please don’t forget the less fortunate.

“Blessed is he that considereth the poor.” –

Psa_41:1.

In other words, blessed is he that blesseth. Happy is he who makes it his chief concern to bestow happiness on others. Rich is he who seeks to enrich. ” Consider thyself,” says the world; “study the advancement of thy interests; for there is none to do thee good if thou neglect thy own good. Will men sell and buy for thee whilst thou art busied about the poor? Will they supply thy wardrobe if thou empty it for the poor?

Will they send medicines to thee and a physician, when thou forgettest thy health in solacing the miseries of others? Consider the poor, of course; but take good care that consideration for them do not swallow up or even encroach upon a due consideration of thyself, thy children, thy near of kin,”

In opposition to all this, our text, like many others in the word of God, teaches us – if we suffer ourselves to be taught so strange a truth, so hard a lesson, – that he best considers himself who considers the poor rather than himself, and makes it his chief business in the world to communicate good unto his fellow-men. For the poor have a friend; even God the source of all good; and there is no more direct way to the heart of God than to alleviate the sufferings of our fellow-men, to deny ourselves for the good of others.

Consider the poor; give attention to them; study their necessities; wisely consult as to the best mode of alleviating them. Think not that attention is wasted when given to the poor, even if some important commercial speculation has to wait. What the word of God says in general, the providence of God says in particular, “Consider the poor,” says the former; ” consider this poor man,” says the latter. Indiscriminate charity is not the thing here commended. The vocation of a Christian is to be a benefactor; and this being his vocation he is not to grudge any pains that may be required in order to ascertain who are the really needy, and what the most effectual way of relieving them.

There are some necessities which men do not mention because they do not feel. They know not their spiritual destitution and they know not the bread of life which is profitable for this world and for that which is to come. The Christian is to consider the soul-penury of men, and tell them of the banquet of life which Christ has spread for them. In this view even the richest of our fellow-men are poor enough and need that we should consider them. Blessed is he that takes knowledge of the necessities of his fellow-men, and devotes himself to their alleviation. God will take knowledge of his necessities, and will see to it that he want no good thing.

　

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From “Daily Meditation” by the Rev. George Bowen

     Most of us human beings don’t like to think about death, but how can we really understand the gift of life without it’s contemplation?  This world offers many things to it’s inhabitants that are illusive and transitory which hold seeming value but turn to dust over time and reveal their true worth.  This world offers an infinite variety of paths to follow, but in the end they all seemingly end at one place.  It’s the wise person who gives as much thought to the end of life as to the beginning . . . . 

 

” . . . grave, where is thy victory?” –

1Co_15:55.

In great cities we find monumental arches, columns, obelisks and tablets, telling of victories won by man over man; but death writes his name loftily on all these, saying, ” Man’s victories are my victories.” But the monumental trophies of death are found in all cities great and small, in all places, in fact. Death lords it everywhere and over all. Scarcely has humanity begun to put on nobility or virtue in any quarter, before death appears and sweeps away the excellent object, terrifying the stricken admirers with the display of its prodigious power.

Yet we make bold to say, ” Where is thy victory, O grave? Where, death, thy sting?” We tell death to the face that the captives whom he has apparently taken are not to be found in his chambers. In fact we can point to them in mansions where death has no admission. We can show the Son of God, once dead on Calvary, standing at the right hand of the Majesty on high. And with him the saints redeemed from the earth, the noble, the beautiful, the virtuous, dwelling in habitations not made with hands, clothed in purity, exempt from pain and sorrow, and not at all despondent because of their mortal remains sleeping in dust. How art thou become a picture of confusion, death, standing there with a crumbling bone in thy hand and looking at a celestial being walking amid the groves of the New Jerusalem, once connected with earthly life by that bone, now wearing many crowns of perfection bestowed by him who died and rose again! After having conquered all, behold, thou art thyself conquered, and a new in violable life given to those who once succumbed to thee. Behold the keys of death and hades are in the hands of our Lord; and what wonder if hereafter thou shouldst be compelled to restore even the dust of the once dead. Sweep as thou wilt with thy scythe from pole to pole; there is a sword impending over thee. Thou thyself shalt die. What canst thou do to him whose life is hid with Christ in God? He will sit upon a throne in the day when thou shalt be driven to darkness.

　

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