For the Least of These …
Those who receive the Lord’s blessing are those who, in their lives, can pay attention to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the ill, and the imprisoned. It turns out that, unwittingly, they had all along been attending to God in Christ.
Prayer, in its implicit form, is the act of attention to realities that are before us. By such acts, we attend, indirectly, to God. Through such acts, God’s very self is made known to us, and we are thus more able to pray explicitly.
—Craig R. Dykstra,
Vision and Character
Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,” essentially meaning that by serving those considered marginalized or “least” in society, you are serving Jesus himself, encouraging acts of kindness and compassion towards the vulnerable and neglected people around you. Today’s devotional reading calls us to consider the one who would “do for the least” in Jesus’ name, namely those who have received the Lord’s blessings in their lives. This becomes our motivation to love and serve others—that we’ve recognized his loving and serving us and we’re inspired (and empowered) to love and serve others out of His love flowing into our lives. Prayer—time spent in His presence—becomes the source through which our love and service spring. May we attend often to that source … so as to spring eternal life unto others! —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics