Welcome to The Upper Room. So glad you made it.
Happy Thirty-Fourth Day of the Lenten Season.
We continue with our meditations in The Book of Daniel. We are on verses 2 and 3 of Chapter 10, The Daniel Fast. It reads,
"In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled."
We continue with our meditations and discussion on "A Fasted Life" compared to "Intermittent Fasting," as we dissect Isaiah 58. We move to verse 7. It reads,
“Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?"
That you bring to your house the poor who are cast out:
Jesus tells us he'll separate the sheep from the goats on the last day. [Matthew 25:31-40] Guess how he described the sheep?
"For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’" (Matthew 25:35-36)
Just how so accurately this matches and parallel Isaiah 58:7. This is a lifestyle requirement for us. The time of fast is merely a calibration and a call back to our model and reality. God wants us to carry bowels of mercy, and be His hands and hearts to others.
This is our calling and expectation. It is what we are supposed to do as a lifestyle, not just for the cameras, or to show off. It is and should be our normal. We should be a heart and place of hospitality. We should be the angels and Jesus' people see. [Hebrews 13:2]
When people see us they should see Jesus. Remember we are here as the manifest show of His Person, Power, and Presence. God is invested in this. Psalm 68:6 tells us,
"God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land."
God recognizes the need of the lonely and homeless. He knows we all need support in one form or the other. No one was created to fight the battles of life all on his or her own. We need to understand the reference here is not just to mere physical dwell.
There are many homeless people living in mansions. They are surrounded by people, yet alone and depressed. They have no working connections in their lives. They are rich, popular, and famous, but lonely. And, this is prevalent in this generation.
I guess we have been so carnally focused on giving people physical dwellings, we have missed the need to provide a place for the lonely souls in physical houses. A soul with a home can ALWAYS get a physical dwelling with the power and strength of his or her empowered soul.
In our original state, we were created as "living souls." Living souls are an "Invictus (unconquerable and indestructible) soul." Our calling is to bring people home, home to the essence and purpose of their creation. Can God find you doing that?
That is the true meaning and power of Proverbs 11:30: "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who wins souls is wise."
The Saint.
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