Anointed with a purpose ...

Don't you love when you are blessed and along with the blessing there is some purpose? I love this passage of Scripture, though it is not all nice and easy and beneficial for me. However, it affirms that God has blessed me (anointed me) with a purpose in mind. The task, though at times it may seem daunting, that is, until we remember again that we are just vessels to fulfilling the purpose of God in the lives of others.

What a privilege is mine (ours) when we take up the mantle of the Lord to bring Good News to the marginalised and disadvantaged today - have a read again:

Isaiah 61:1-2 (New Living Translation)

Good News for the Oppressed

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,

for the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted

and to proclaim that captives will be released

and prisoners will be freed.

2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn

that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,

and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.

Lord, as you anoint me, let me receive this and the commission that sits alongside it, with a willing heart. Help me in my reliance upon Your Holy Spirit to fulfill this task as You have given it to me. Help me to be honouring of You in the way I serve and give of my life for Your purpose, to those in need.

What favour ...

One part of today's reading is James chapter 2. The latter half of this chapter could easily follow up on what we discovered and discussed yesterday in relation to faith and works. The fact that they should go hand in hand - together. Not one over the other.

The first part of this chapter considers an issue that existed amongst these Jewish believers to whom James wrote this letter, for they were showing preference to the rich and were looking down or neglecting the poor. It could be easy to condem them and point the finger at them, but I wonder, if the spotlight were on us, whether we would be found to be any different than they. I am challenged by this personally, for even this morning I was given an opportunity to walk across the room (or down the isle a few chairs and across the isle), to be inclusive of a person who was sitting by himself (I did by the way, though I recall the fact that it was a conscious call from me to do this, it wasn;t an immediate or natural action). He looked a bit deshevilled, unfortunatly, like he didn't belong (and let me clarify that is not about him as much as what it says about who attends the Corps I belong to). And I am not sure that we even necessarily intentionally neglect the poor or those who seem different. It seems to come from what we are comfortable with, we are concerned too much about ourselves over others.

I encourage you to read the chapter from James and to examine your interactions with others. As I consider theses questions, will you be willing to check them out for yourself too?

• Am I willing to put myself out there, to step out of my comfort zone to ensure others feel a part of the Body of Christ?
• Am I prepared to walk across the room and talk to a stanger (taking the first step, the initiative), regardless of how they are dressed, or how they look?
• Will I be a servant to the lost, the least, and the last?
• Will I trust the Holy Spirit to give me the words to say that I might communicate with others from all walks of life effectively and meaningfully?
• Will I show genuine love and care for the people God places across my path?

Friends, let's make a difference in the communities that we are a part of. Let's be prepared to be indiscriminate in all our interactions.