Daily Devotional for Saturday, September 7

God’s Judgment

“God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked,” Psalm 82:1-4.

Caring for the poor and orphaned is near to the heart of God. James 1:27 says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” This psalm is a letter of condemnation to judges who were allowing the poor and orphaned to be abused by society. It is no surprise that God was angry, for these judges had failed to carry out the heart of God in their duty. Scripture even reveals that lack of concern for the poor is one of the sins for which Sodom and Gomorrah were judged (Ezekiel 16:48-50).

God’s expectation for believers is still the same today: show compassion to and meet the needs of the poor, afflicted and orphaned. If God has historically poured out His judgment on those who have disobeyed this command, do we think He will dismiss us from our responsibility? Compassion for those in need is the heart of God and must be the heart of every believer.

DAILY REMINDER
We must intentionally work to lift the load of those who cannot care for themselves. This is pure and undefiled religion.

Steven Ridings