Sowing Seeds of Righteousness

Hundreds of thousands of Haitian children are without a mommy or daddy tonight – and without food, water or shelter for that matter. An adoption agency here at IHOP is pounding on the gates of government bureaucrats with desperation, knowing that if no one comes through for these helpless ones – fast – they will not only die of starvation, thirst or disease, but the sex traffickers will also fully take advantage of the situation…and no one would ever know.

Contradicting my normally pragmatic, commonsensical self, I am finding myself with the prayer of Jabez on my lips: “O that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory…” (1 Chronicles 4:10) Bless me with children, God! Make me a mother of many nations! Give me the dream of Your heart for these precious souls…

I’ve got two toddlers and an infant. I already go to bed every night exhausted from the day’s activity. Don’t I already change enough diapers, prepare enough meals and train enough children for this season of my life as a 26 year old mom? Excuses abound in the face of great need. Excuses abound when I face my own weakness. But praise God, so does Grace.

I am deeply convicted by this scripture. I urge you to let it touch your heart concerning the poor of the earth today:

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, ¹¹ while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. ¹² For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, ¹³ while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, ¹⁴ and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:8-15).

Whether it be the children of Haiti, feeding the homeless, giving financially or bringing soup to the widow next door,

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).

Like Christ, we are anointed

“To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified” (Isaiah 61).

How will you sow the seeds the Lord has put within you? How much grace will you dare Him to pour out? What trees of righteousness will rise up and glorify the Lord because you said ‘yes’ to helping the poor and broken of the earth – forsaking comfort, convenience and financial security? What is the harvest you are dreaming of? These are the questions that haunt me today…

If you want to track with the situation of the Haitian children and how some are seeking to answer them in their time of need, click HERE. And pray for the orphans of Haiti.