Saturday, May 14, 2011

Deuteronomy 15 - The Sabbatical Year

LINK: Deuteronomy 15

BACKGROUND

The sabbatical year has already been discussed in Exodus 23 and Leviticus 25, but this passage adds the cancellation of debts to Hebrew kinsmen during the seventh year. It also encouraged helping the poor and stipulation that the slaves of kinsmen be set free. 

The chapter concludes by discussing the setting apart of all firstborn animals. Every year, during one of the annual feasts, the perfect, young, firstborn animals were to be sacrificed at the central sanctuary and eaten in a communal meal with the family. 

APPLICATION

Do you have a plan for helping the poor? It is always a great thing to think about in your regular giving. 

If you are looking for a great ministry that helps the poor, I recommend Harriet's Housing. Here is an article that addresses homelessness in my area. In the article Hughes says,
“I think we have to all recognize that we’re all God’s children — rich, poor, no matter where, and we all need one place to keep our belongings safe, a place that we can cook our food, a place that we can do our laundry,”
Send checks to:

Harriet's Housing, PO BOX 811, Philomath, OR 97370 
(It has been run by a dear 80+ years young woman in our church for years. Her ministry is so low-tech, she doesn't even have a website!)

If you are on Facebook, you can see her page HERE.

PRAYER

Show us the needy people around us and help us to give according to Your will. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

1 comment:

Carol Ann Weaver said...

I just added Harriet's Housing to the post. I would love to see her be blessed by this post!