OUR DAILY BREAD : HEAR THEIR CRY

[cimi]

September 10
Wednesday


HEAR THEIR CRY

READ:
exodus 22:22-27
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You shall not afflict any
widow or fatherless
child. If you afflict them
in any way, and they
cry at all to Me, I will
surely hear their cry.
__Exodul 22:22-23
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CNN recently reported that there are approximately 40 million widows in India. Fifteen thousand of them live on the streets of the northern city of Vrindavan. Unfortunately, many of their families do not hear their cries. A 70-year-old widow says, "My son tells me: 'You have grown old. Now who is going to feed you? Go away.' " Shes cries, "What do I do? My pain has no limit."

When God gave His people instructions in the desert, He told them they had a responsibility to care for widows and fatherless children in the land (Ex. 22:22-23). They were to leave some of the harvest in the filed for them, and every third year they took up a special tithe for the needy. God expected His people to hear the cries of the powerless, defend their rights, and care for them.

The Israelites were commanded to care for others as a remembrance of their experience in Egypt. When they were in trouble and cried out to God, He heard their cries and helped them. So their memory of oppression and release was intended to mold their values, attitudes, and actions toward the powerless in the land (Deut. 24:18-22).

Let us imitate or Father by hearing the cries of the needy in our world. __Marvin Williams
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```````````````````To love your neighbor as yourself``````````````
``````````````````````````Is not an easy task,``````````````````
````````````````But God will show His love through you`````````````
````````````````````If only you will ask. __Sper``````````````````
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The closer you are to God,
the more you'll have a heart for others.


***************Today's Bible Reading __ Exodus 22:22-27**********

22 You shall not afflict any
widow or fatherless child.

23 If you afflict them in any
way, and they cry at all to
me, I will surely hear their
cry; 24 and My wrath will
become hot, and I will kill
you with the sword; your
wives shall be widows, and
your children fatherless.

25 "If you lend money to
any of My people who are
poor among you, you shall
not be like a moneylender
to him; you shall not charge
him interest. 26 If you ever
take your neighbor's
garment as a pledge, you
shall return it to him before
the sun goes down. 27 For
that is his only covering, it
is his garment for his skin.
What will he sleep in? And
it will be that when he cries
to Me, I will hear, for I am
gracious.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The words of instruction that God gave to the Israelites in the
book of Exodus about the needy are echoed in the New Testament
letter written by James. In James 1:27 we read, "Pure and undefiled
religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and
widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the
world." In the eyes of God, knowing Him is more than just a private
faith striving for personal purity; it is also an active faith that
engages the world with compassion and concern. Balancing the
twin priorities of a pure walk with God and Christlike concern for
others is what James calls "pure and undefiled religion."

__Bill Crowder