What each can bear

2:04 p.m. Today's project is to pray with beloved sisters in the Lord, and take a meal to a third, at a time when I can certainly use both! That's God's economy, though, isn't it? When He allows us to struggle (so we will grow to trust Him in all circumstances), He brings forth a more dire and urgent need of another family that puts our need in perspective.

I Corinthians 10:13 says,

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

For instance, I felt devastated at a surprisingly emotional, unhappy phone call the other afternoon--but today a dear Christian friend has to defend her legitimate and correct classroom practices to the district superintendent because godless teachers at her grade level are drumming up false charges of cheating against her.

There's no comparison, is there?

Our bank accounts are at rock bottom--but another friend and her husband may be evicted from their house in a disputed foreclosure case.

There's no comparison, is there?

I've been semi-limping because my arthritis is givng me a fit in one hip joint, but two of my friends (one trying to prevent a premature birth) are literally bedridden as I write this.

There's no comparison, is there?

All of our trials and temptations matter to God, who is faithful and just always. But He calls us to be faithful too, praying for and serving others in their very severe trials in ways that do not necessarily take a huge effort or cost much, but are enormously welcome to the recipient.

The box and towels will hold a casserole, my famous "No Peekee Chicken," that Steve and I will deliver this afternoon to one bedridden friend and her husband. The Lord is so good, that I actually have several chicken thighs left over, beyond what will feed the couple for at least two days until a meal schedule can be set up for them Sunday evening at their Home Fellowship. So our needs are being met as well!

As we go about in our lives, we are to welcome calls for help and participate eagerly, knowing that the even though service is done openly by necessity, only God knows the extent of the sacrifice that was made. Think of the widow who gave the tiny offering, but was counted by Jesus as having given more than all the wealthy donors put together, "for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood." (Mark 12:44)

Our inspiration is I John 4:17b:

As He is, so are we in the world.