(God Never Intended For People To Live In Poverty)
TO THE BIBLE: PSALM 74:21-22
“Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name. Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.”
LET’S TALK
Psalm 74 contains a powerful and heartfelt prayer from Asaph, who cried out to God, saying: “Have respect to the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty. Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name.” (Psalm 74:20-21)
Asaph’s prayer shows his deep concern for the oppressed—people who had no one else to turn to but God. He pleaded for their protection and dignity, reminding us that God cares for those in need.
Think about recent disasters I showed you during the Your Loveworld Specials, the wildfires that destroyed homes and left families with nowhere to go.
Many people in tough situations feel powerless, just like the oppressed in Asaph’s time. It’s not enough to just feel sorry for them—we need to take action.
Through our fervent prayer and actions, we can repel evil and bring hope to the oppressed. Financial aid alone is insufficient; education and training are essential.
God never intended for people to live in poverty. Psalm 33:5 says, “He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.” And in Luke 4:18-19, the Lord Jesus declared His mission:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
Wherever the Gospel has free course and is preached, lives are changed. The people are transformed, and the poor cease to be poor.
So, be committed to taking the Gospel everywhere, and more and more lives will be changed. Amen.
Go Deeper
Isaiah 58:6-7; 2 Corinthians 8:9; 3 John 1:2 NKJV
Pray:
I’m empowered as an agent of change in this world and an instrument of God’s love and compassion to bring hope and relief to those in need. I pray for those who’re oppressed to experience divine protection, provision, and empowerment as they receive the light of the Gospel and walk in God’s will for their lives, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading Plan
ONE YEAR
John 15:18-16:1-16, 1 Chronicles 5-6
TWO YEAR
1 Corinthians 15:1-10, Proverbs 28
Act:
Today intercede for the poor, invoking God’s favour and grace to open their eyes to opportunities and empower them to rise above poverty.