The Bible is a story about God’s family and the covenant He made with Abraham, “IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED” (Acts 3:25).[i] When Peter spoke on the Day of Pentecost, he connected the Jews back to that family relationship: “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus” (Acts 3:13). The Church Age opened with family. The believers went from house to house, breaking bread together and taking care of each other as any had need (Acts 2:43-47).
God loves His chosen people and, as Christians, we have been grafted into His family and the covenant promises with Abraham. No matter what the Jewish people have gone through, God still promises that “the number of the sons of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered; and in the place where it is said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ it will be said to them, ‘You are the sons of the living God’” (Hosea 1:10). As both Jews and Christians, we are to be God’s family. No matter what comes in the days ahead, the family of God should stick together in love as fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters and take care of each other.
In the parable about the sheep and the goats, Yeshua (Jesus) explains that the whole basis of Kingdom judgment is the ability of the sheep to minister to the Christ in one another. That is the way the Lord identifies it, “To the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40). God is identified with His people.
“He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:18).
The great love of the Father was revealed to all creation through the heart of His Son, and it is to be the same with us. Christ is to be glorified in His saints and marveled at among all those who believe (2 Thessalonians 1:10). God does not want to just demonstrate His power; He wants to reveal His nature of love and kindness. As we give to others, we are to reveal the fruit of the Spirit and the beautiful nature of Christ radiating from us. The Body of Christ is to walk in God’s authority and power with the nature of Yeshua shining through our acts of righteousness.
God is good and we can express His goodness through the Holy Spirit as we give to those in need. Like the young boy with five loaves and two small fish, we can give what we have and see the Lord be glorified and magnified among us. One area of need where you can give is to support the widows and orphans of those who so bravely fought to protect Israel with their lives.
[i] All Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB95).