Wednesday, 14 August 2024
POVERTY ISN’T GOD'S DESIGN
O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name. Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily (Psalm 74:21-22).
Psalm 74 contains a beautiful, emotive prayer from the psalmist Asaph. He prayed, "Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name" (Psalm 74:20-21).
Asaph’s prayer reflected a shared concern for the oppressed. The oppressed could only hope in God for deliverance from those more powerful than themselves. Thus, Asaph's plea for their protection from shame underscored their reliance on God's intervention.
Some time ago, we heard of wildfires that ravaged homes and endangered many families, giving them very little chance of escape. The victims, facing powerful perpetrators who sought to silence them, epitomised the poor and needy for whom we should pray. Through our fervent prayer and actions, we can repel the evil and bring hope to the oppressed. Financial aid alone is insufficient; education and training are essential.
Most importantly, we must intercede for the poor, invoking God's favour and grace to open their eyes to opportunities and empower them to rise above poverty. Psalm 33:5 says, “He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.” Poverty is not God's design.
In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Wherever the Gospel has free course and is preached, the people are transformed and the poor cease to be poor. So, be committed to taking the Gospel everywhere, and more and more lives will be changed. Amen.
PRAYER: I’m empowered as an agent of change in this world and an instrument of God’s love and compassion to bring hope and relief to those in need. I pray for those who’re oppressed to experience divine protection, provision, and empowerment as they receive the light of the Gospel and walk in God’s will for their lives, in Jesus’ Name. Amen
FURTHER STUDY:
Isaiah 58:6-7; 2 Corinthians 8:9; 3 John 1:2 NKJV
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 15:14-33 & Psalms 99-101
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Philippians 2:19-30 & Isaiah 65