Moving On in Japan…
March 21st, 2011
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The news channels have all moved on. They are on to the next big story. Libya is hot; Japan is not.
That is the way it goes. But for the 500,000 Japanese people living in shelters with no place to move on to…the story is still very urgent. They have not moved on. Not yet. They are not a news bite.
Without help, most of them will struggle hard to move on. But the amazing thing about being the “Family of God” is that they will have our help. They are our family.
Are we the same race, the same religion, the same nationality? Not likely. But we are the same family. This coming together and helping them rebuild their lives is what we would do if this happened to our sons, our daughters, our brothers and sisters. And in fact, it did.
I have a very dear friend who is in her 60′s and has the retirement plan of God…that is to say she is totally dependent on God to provide for her when she retires. So, recently she was inspired to give some money to a man of God whom she knew was in great need. She gave.
Then she had those fearful thoughts that sometimes come when we give sacrificially. She thought about her own needs, her nest egg that doesn’t grow and what would happen to her in her old age.
Fortunately, she could hear from God and remembered that it wasn’t the 10% that belongs to God but it is the 100% that belongs to God. We don’t give because we are good. We give because we are honest. We understand that we are not to store up for ourselves here on earth but rather we are to be God’s bankers.
We are here to manage the redistribution of wealth to those in need. This is neither the job nor the responsibility of the government. This is our great privilege. It is the service we render to each other.
Many years ago, God prompted me to give $200. I knew that if I gave that $200 I would not have enough money to pay my rent and buy food. I struggled with what I knew and what I believed. I settled on what I believed and gave the $200.
You know what, we never missed a meal and the rent got paid. How? I am not really sure. But we did not end up on the street begging for bread.
Our Pastors friends in Japan are actively gathering up survivors and relocating them to the Seminary outside of Tokyo. There they receive food, clothing, shelter and hope. They experience the love of family, the family God has provided to see them through this crisis.
With all of our help, they will be able to move on and they will take with them the memories of how “family members”, whom they never knew, reached out to them and helped them through.
God bless you for all that you are giving everywhere.
Brenda
We give through Lydia Ministries, PO Box 40572, Houston, TX 77240. This is a 501 c (3) charity and you will receive a tax receipt for your gift.
Lydia Ministries sends 100% of your donations to the folks in need. During this time all monies are going into meeting the needs of the people in Japan.
No one takes any salary and no one takes any administrative fees from what you give. Every dollar goes to buy food, clothing, shelter, medicine, etc.
Categories: Factor Talk, where we give
