The Daily Office for July 7, 2012
Scriptures
Psalm104
Numbers 24:12-25
Romans 8:18-25
Matthew 22:23-40
Reading (Matthew 22:23-40)
Reflection
There are a lot of excuses for not helping poor people. How many have you heard yourself make?
- Somebody else will help them.
- I have to take care of my own needs first.
- It’s their own fault that they’re poor.
- I really don’t have enough money to help anyway.
- They need to take care of themselves.
Can you think of any others? Keep them in mind as you read Scripture. Here God demolishes virtually every excuse that we can come up with for not helping the poor. Ask God to melt the excuses from your heart. Ask Him to prepare you so that the next time you have an opportunity to help a poor person, your initial reaction will be to give freely as you are able rather than to find a hard-hearted, tightfisted excuse.
Collect for the Day
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that with you as our ruler and guide we may so pass through things temporal that we lose not our hold on things eternal; grant this, heavenly Father, for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.