“For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.” (Psalm 9:18)

Most of those reading this book will have to admit that they have not truly been needy or poor. Truthfully, we may have known hard times and lean days, but we have not in the Biblical sense been destitute. For many people in the world, the concept of destitution is a daily reality. When this psalm was written, it described many people in the land of Israel. Those people looked to God for a reprieve.

Through years of draught, devastation from locus and other nations, as well as constant war with its subsequent occupation and robbery the future must have seemed bleak. David’s personal life was like a roller-coaster that traversed the land of plenty and the land of poverty.

It is interesting to note that when the Israelites were first poised to enter the promised land God told them that “…there would be no poor among (them); for the Lord will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess—” (Deut. 15:4). What happened then? This was a conditional promise, and the 5th verse tells that it was dependent on the people “strictly” obeying the voice of God.

These give us a clue to how the promise of the psalmist mentioned above could have come true. Alas, that did not happen until Jesus came. He made the rich poor and fulfilled every need of the needy. He offered food that would satisfy forever and water than would ever flow.  All we need is in Christ Jesus our Lord who strictly obeyed the voice of God.

Task for Today: Why be poor when you can be rich? If you will become a child of God, you will be heir to the riches of heaven. All the possessions of God will be yours. Eat the spiritual body of Christ and drink from his cup. Obey Him and see the windows of heaven open to rain down blessings.