“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3
It’s been two weeks since we celebrated Easter; HE is Risen! HE is risen indeed! Hallelujah! We have come full circle through the passion story of Jesus Christ and that brings the full immenseness of the victory that was won for us on the Cross of Calvary and the joy of an empty tomb on Easter morning.
During Holy week, there quite a few congregations that have a prayer vigil from Palm Sunday through the Easter Sunrise service. Each day, members sit in a pew or kneel at the altar in a still, quiet and solitude sanctuary spending time with God, examining themselves, giving thanks for what He has done for them, confessing their sins, giving thanks for the bounty that is daily poured into their lives and seeking His direction.
There were times when I also took part in those prayer vigils, when I felt poor in spirit, recalling times when my path was not His, when my words were not His, when my thoughts were not His and then what He gave for me, in spite of my sinfulness. There is nothing I can do, no amount of work, money or time to right the wrongs that have come from my life; they are only rectified by what He did for me on the cross. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ sealed the deal for me, for you, for the world.
The women in the attached are doing their laundry in one of many tent cities in Port-au-Prince. You would have to talk with them to better understand what is going through their lives. Without the tent they are homeless, but they have a Savior. Their children are in a Christian school with a Trinity HOPE feeding program and their lineage will continue to realize what their Savior did for them on Calvary. They like us will receive the Kingdom of Heaven, and prayerfully their words and actions will bring many more from Haiti away from vodou and into the arms of a loving Savior Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay