Richard Wurmbrund, who is well known for his work with Voice of the Martyrs and who suffered torture and imprisonment for his faith in Christ in Romania, has written a devotional on The Song of Songs called The Midnight Bride. He opened my eyes to this next passage. Read it first from the CEV.
My darling, I love you!
Where do you feed your sheep
and let them rest at noon?(S. of S. 1:7)
Wurmbrand writes that Jesus cares for His sheep, especially the lost, broken, and hurting. In fact he leaves the ninety-nine who are safe to seek the lost. He writes: “Jesus has given us an exact address where we can find him. On the day of the last judgment men will hear these words from Him: “I was in prison and you came to Me…”
When we minister to the “least of these” — the lonely, the lost, the imprisoned, the hungry, the elderly, the children, the hurting…we are ministering to Jesus, and we have found the One whom our soul loves.
This is a picture of my beautiful friend Eunice (brunette in brown) who works in women’s jails in Omaha and now, also in after care, in a home helping women get back on their feet after jail. Look at the joy on her face. She has found the One whom her soul loves.
I think it is interesting that many who are participating in this Song of Songs journey have experienced real suffering — I think suffering shakes our world, making us let go of false idols. It also gives us a heart for the Lord, and then, for others who are suffering.
This was new insight for me from Wurmbrand. What do you think about it? Have you experienced “finding Jesus” when you have cared for the “least of these?” Or do you think he’s misapplying this passage?
Your sharing enriches us all.
13 comments
Hello everyone! I was just listening to a message from Arloa Sutter, she founded “Breakthrough Urban Ministries”, and recently she gave a message at Wheaton College, here in Illinois. I think it fits perfectly here. The link is : http://bit.ly/15tnxf
I just watched Arloa’s video while fixing Sunday dinner — short, powerful, perfect. Thank you, Mary!
I wonder what opportunities the Lord is going to give each of us to minister to the least of these this week!
Dee, I do have very personal thoughts on this question but first I want to tell you how God used you in my life yesterday. I was in my car trying to find a place to park to go to my bible study . Focus on the Family was re-airing the program where you share about the loss of your husband. I sat in the car, tears streaming down my face listening to your story about how painful it was to loose Steve. I am in that situation now and many times I just don’t know what to do with the pain.
I so desperately need to know how to “live” while my husband is dying. He is in the end stages of early onset Alzheimers disease I felt a closeness to you because of a few things.The year Steve went to be with the Lord was the year my husband was diagnosed.
He was only 56 then and is 60 now.They were both so young and vital when disease struck them. He went to the University of Wisconsin. We have fond memories of the beginning of our marriage there and a wonderful church community and the beginning of our family. I just finished reading from your posts of the funeral and all about Steve. My husband is also a wonderful,loving,Christian servant who always thought of the other person. That especially was expressed in our marriage. I don’t think there was every a time I needed or just wanted him to do something for me that he didn’t respond quickly and with joy. I’d be happy to”, was one of his most often said phrases.Well, I could go on and on but back to the question.My husband now is one of the least of these. He is an adult but his needs are that of a child. I put him to bed at night and get him up in the morning and do everything in between. It has been suggested that I “put him somewhere” so “I can have a life”. I cringe when I here those words. How self-centered. This is my life.A chance to truly serve without return from another. What could I be doing that would be any better or have any more value and purpose than taking care of my husband when he needs me most. God has filled me with His love and compassion in ways that I would never have believed possible because of this. My husband lived his life for Christ and was the one who led me to Him. Now, it is my turn to love him in this way. I don’t know how long this will be but for now I can not think of any better way to tell God and my husband ” I love you”.
I do want to add one thing. I am not being critical towards any one who chooses to have a loved on in a care facility. Every situation is different. I just know for me this is what I have to do. Di
Diana, I am so sorry about your husband. Thank you for sharing that – what a beautiful testimony.
I definitely think that is true – that Jesus is found among the least of these, the poor, the lonely, the hurting. I loved the video by Arloa. I love the part where she says something like if you are in Christ – you will be about these things. I think that is true also, it is the Spirit of God within you who longs to touch people through you. I think it is being sensitive to that Spirit within you. I think what usually happens is God’s Spirit touches someone and that blessing just kinda spills over on you.
A couple of years ago, I went to visit my mother who lives in Missouri (not too far I think from you Dee) she lives in a little town outside of Colombia, Mo. I also had a sister who lived there. While I was there I was out with my sister, and she said to me, well, you really didn’t come to visit me – you came to visit Mom. And my sister’s name was Karen. And it was true, I did come to visit my mother, but that day, I really wanted to spend it with her. So, I told her, no, today Kar, I just wanted to spend this time with you, and it was true. So, we just spent the day together and it was a nice time. The morning before I was leaving, my other sister who was living there and my sister Karen got in a argument, and then somehow my mother was in the middle of it. So, they were all kinda of mad at each other. My sister Karen could be overly emotional sometimes because she took alot of pills for alot of different things. She was a diabetic, and pretty recently just had part of a kidney transplant, with my other sister (I have alot of sisters!)(another miralcle story)..but anyway, i had to go back home for work and stuff. So, I left they were all still kinda mad at each other. That evening, I had just got home from Missouri and I had a message on my phone and it was my sister Karen, and she said something like “I really need help”. I could tell by the seriousness tone of her voice that she really meant it. So, I tried to call her back, a number of times and there was no answer. And other people had tried to call her but she wasn’t answering. This was Friday night. Now, I’m thinking, what should I do? I didn’t want to drive back to Missouri, because it’s like a 7 hour ride, and I just got home. So, I just kept trying to call her, and finally on Saturday night, she answered the phone. I don’t remember exactly what we talked about, but I do remember she was feeling bad about being mad at my Mom. And I told her, Kar, I know you love Mom, and you know she loves you, and no matter how you feel right now, you know you love each other – no matter what you do – don’t let it stop you – tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Go get Mom some flowers, and a card, and just tell her you love her. Don’t let anything stop you from doing that Kar! I know she really really loved my Mom and sometimes all that medicine just made her emotions go crazy. So, the next day, my sister stopped by my Mom’s, she wasn’t home, but she left a beautiful flower, with a card that told my Mom, that she loved her. And I believe that God used me that day for both my sister and my Mother, for the day after Mother’s day my sister died in her sleep. And I know that nothing can take away the horrible pain that you feel at that moment, but I believe that God wanted my mother to know and feel the love my sister had for her. Death is never easy, but as sweet as God could make it, that’s what He did. I just think we need to be open to hear God, for God is so good and it is here that He dwells.
“It is here that He dwells.” Your great story reminds me of so many verses from 1 John, Fellowsojourner — particularly 1 John 3:14-20. Thanks so much for making this so real.
Dee, I think this is so true! I’ll share my story. A little over a year ago, the Lord began speaking to me about moving beyond my comfort zone and becoming more “others-centered”. I began to see and understand that I could actually make a difference in someone else’s life every day by committing my day to Him and looking for the opportunities that He put in my path, however simple they might be.
In this process, I became a volunteer with a hospice agency and was assigned to a little lady with a lung disease. She was also very poor and the Lord directed me to find out what kind of snacks she liked and to provide those. When I would go to visit and take a bag of snack foods, you would have thought I had just given her some expensive gift! She was so grateful, as she was unable to afford such simple things that we take for granted.
One day as I left work to go home for my lunch hour, I felt impressed to go to the grocery and get some snack foods and take them to her. It was not the day I normally went and I only had an hour, so I dismissed it and went on home. I got in the house and went to the kitchen to fix my lunch, when I sensed an urgency to go right then. I left immediately and went by the store and on to her house. When I walked in, her eyes welled up with tears. She told me that she had prayed–she had no food and had not had anything to eat since the night before when she had opened all that she had left, a can of Ensure, and drunk that. I told her I’d be back as soon as I got off work that afternoon and would bring her some groceries.
As I left that home and started back to work, my eyes filled with tears as I realized I had just been “Jesus with skin on” to that woman! I was overwhelmed with His love for that woman and for me in allowing me to be His hand extended to one of ‘the least of these’!I also realized how important it is to be obedient when He speaks and not put it off until a more “convenient” time!
Every time I am privileged to ‘make a difference’, I understand again what scripture means when it states that it is more blessed to give than receive!
Susan — these are the kind of testimonies that help us to die those deaths of obedience — for we see how He meets us, and gives us life. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’m headed out on the road and would covet your prayers for the taping of three Midday radio broadcasts — the first will air Thursday, Oct 15th at noon — and then on to a retreat in Illinois. When I come back I’m going to ask you about the phrase from Song of Songs that comes next — “Why should I be like a veiled woman?”
Honestly, right now I don’t know what it means — but I’ll be asking the Lord and researching. You too, I hope!
I’ll be praying!–And, checking out that verse! :o)
Praying for you Dee!
=)
Fellowsojourner.
Praying for you, Ms. Dee! I’ll be researching into that verse as well. Sounds intriguing..
Be praying also Dee…Bless you 🙂