DCLM Daily Manna 3 June 2022
KEY VERSE: Deuteronomy 15:11 – “For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.”
TEXT: Deuteronomy 15:1-11 (KJV)
“At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts. 2 And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the Lord’s release. 3 Of a foreigner you may require it; but you shall give up your claim to what is owed by your brother, 4 except when there may be no poor among you; for the Lord will greatly bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance— 5 only if you carefully obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe with care all these commandments which I command you today. 6 For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.
7 “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. 9 Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the Lordagainst you, and it become sin among you. 10 You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. 11 For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall [f]open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
A poor young man had lost his phone and could not reach his former boss for a long time. He could not buy another phone to reach him because he was too poor. One day, he discussed his challenge with someone who had pity on him and gave him an old phone of his. As soon as he inserted his SIM into the phone, his boss called him. That week, he sent a huge sum of money to him with which he started a business. He was grateful to the man who gave him the phone and how God had used him as a channel of blessing.
In our text, God specifically gave the children of Israel the instruction to release those indebted to them at the end of every seven years. He directed them to forgive poor brethren who are unable to repay their debt; and that they must forget the debt. God expected the privileged not to refuse the poor the opportunity to borrow, particularly, when it is toward the end of the seventh year for fear of inability to get back their money.
Truly, “the poor shall never cease out of the land”. But the onus is on the rich to lend to the poor. One of the major problems in societies nowadays is disparity on wealth distribution. While few are so rich, many others live in abject poverty. This inequality has always bred rancour in society.
In the household of faith, privileged believers are enjoined to be their brother’s keeper. Let us determine to always be channels of blessing to the needy.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord…”
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 9-11
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – Be a Channel of Blessing – by Pastor W.F Kumuyi
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Daily Manna 3 June 2022