In the January issue of this subject, mention was made of the resources available to us for attempting to resettle our brethren away from their uncomfortable living conditions in the refugee camps.  These may be viewed as the talents that Our Heavenly Father has entrusted to us for use in serving him.  He does nothing in vain, and there is therefore a purpose in entrusting his gifts to us. Let us begin to use our resources.  How do we begin?

 

Prayer, our main resource - Individually and Collectively:  This is  essential to push us into action.  There are numerous examples of people in the scripture beginning very difficult operations with prayer - 

2 Samuel 2 1 “And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah ? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.”

 

Nehemiah 1:11 O LORD, “I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.”

 

2nd Chronicles, 20 - Faced with the overwhelming odds against a great company of people, in the nation's helplessness, King Jehosaphat gathered all his people in prayer, including his wives and little ones :12 - "O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children."  They did not know what to do by themselves, so they turned to God. 

 

Having thus placed ourselves under God's power and direction, using our main resource of prayer, let us proceed by publicizing throughout the brotherhood the great affliction of our brethren in the refugee camps, so that they could appreciate the need and urgency of taking the necessary steps to get them out of this.  The communication network provided by the internet service could be used to great advantage in this exercise.  The need for finances to put into effect our plans to resettle our brethren should be emphasized to our ecclesias worldwide,  thereafter requesting ongoing monthly collection from as many  as possible - Guidance from God's Word ln this respect -  Acts 11 - 27 "And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch . 28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea : 30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul".

 

 Isaiah 58 ⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice  and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free    and break every yoke? ⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them,    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?."

 

  It is critical that we get out information, not only about our brethren's terrible living condition, but the uncertainty they face in the future of these camps in the present shaky financial world climate, and the horrible violence and brutality to which they are exposed in the process of returning to their original homes following the closure of any of these camps.

 

 The  scriptures  reveal that God works through his people to accomplish his purposes - for example

Exodus 3:7 "And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land ...." Then he proceeds to carry out his plan through Moses, his servant.  The scriptures also show the advice given Moses by Jethro on the need for designation in managing the affairs of the Israelites in the wilderness.  We have the resource of brethren experienced in management, many of whom are retired, and can give valuable assistance in this area, using  the communication tool of the internet network with its worldwide connections.  Then there are our youthful resources, in the young, whose energies could be channeled with great advantage into this rewarding and character building activity.  This is how the Apostle Paul developed young Timothy, advising and encouraging him in his assignment of duties to him. There is no more constructive direction to which we can point our youths than that of compassion and active assistance to those in need.

 

Let us pray for God's blessing in the direction of the use of the resources with he has entrusted us.