Back To Life Ministries: To Know Him

My flesh is prone to self-indulgence…to choose comfort over Christ. I don’t like it too hot. I don’t like it too cold. Lukewarm feels good, at least for a moment, until I hear the voice of my Creator calling. He grabs hold of my hand, pulls me out of the worldly trap, lifts my eyes towards Himself, and tells me to seek His face, seek His kingdom. In His eyes I see the cross with my Savior bleeding for my redemption. Who is the One who loves me so unconditionally? So sacrificially in this way? The mystery of it all intrigues my soul…I’m starved to know Him deeper. I open up my bible to that treasure I found a few years ago in Jeremiah 22:16. I remember even blogging about it before but I’m so quick to forget so I re-read it slow, tracing my finger over the words I have underlined in black ink…they touch my heart once more almost like I’d never read them before. Can it be this simple and true?

“He took up the case of the poor and needy, then it went well.”

That sentence alone would have been enough but God doesn’t stop there. The next part fills me with joy tears….

“Is this not what it means to know Me?” This is the Lord’s declaration.

Every fiber of my being craves to know God more and right there in Jeremiah 22, plain and simple, God tells us defending the poor and needy is exactly what it means to know Him. In that very instant God’s Spirit confirms His call for my family to press on serving Pastor Nahum and his orphans, the very thing that is my heart's passion. Oh how I love God!

my li'l man, Edwins...bizou bizou

Back to Life Ministries is not the solution to the world’s poverty crisis but, motivated by the gospel, it is one small avenue for the church who is seeking to know God more to take up the case of the poor and needy.

God is faithful…if we apply our hands and hearts to serve the poor and needy we will see beautiful satisfying glimpses of His redemption…the hungry will be fed, the naked will be clothed, the homeless will be sheltered, orphans will be adopted, the oppressed will be set free, and the chains of injustice will be broken. Yet still, as fulfilling and wonderful as all of this is, there is something far better and that something is to personally and intimately know God. Knowing God is the ultimate prize. I love how God calls us to the broken and lowly and in those places reveals Himself to us.

On my way home from the store today I let His words run through my head. “To take up the case of the needy and poor…Is this not what it means to know Me?” I answered out loud like He was sitting in the passenger seat next to me. Yes. Yes, Lord. Taking up the case of the poor and needy is exactly what it means to know You. I believe it and I want to know You more.

Our team of 11 took up the case of the poor and needy while we hosted the 2nd annual BTLM VBS last week. It was a amazing!! Jeremiah 22:16 looks a little like this: