Orphans of the Storm

"Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?"
James 2: 5

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This type of poverty marks the character and attitude of a person whose value and self-worth is not tied to material possessions or the abundance of wealth. As Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5 – 7, he knew that the people equated “being rich” with finding favor with God, for the Pharisees and Jewish leaders possessed material wealth. So they believed that their own lives were of no value to God. Not so! As James writes in his epistle, “God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith…” This faith is in God alone to fulfill the promises of His Word to those who find their value and self-worth in Christ.

My wife and I along with eight other mission team members recently returned from a short-term mission trip to New Orleans this spring. As we encountered people of all kinds of backgrounds and nationalities, we began to understand one thing among many: God is good. Thousands of people living on the Gulf Coast have experienced tremendous loss: of houses and property; of jobs and livelihoods; and especially of loved ones. In turn, many thousands have lost hope because their value and self-worth were tied to the things they possessed. They question God and wonder if He truly loves them. New Orleans is a broken place; and the Father has positioned this city in such a way to truly come to know Him as He draws it to Himself. The trip provided a tremendous opportunity for us to hear their stories and to show the people that God does love them and that He values them more than they can imagine or think. This is the Ministry of Reconciliation. By demonstrating God’s love to them and sharing the Gospel, my hope is that many saw that they can be rich in the faith required for God's reconciliation with them.