Thursday 26 March 2015

January 14th 2:00am

January 14th 2:00am
Outside the air is a warm, seventeen centigrade, unseasonable for this time of year in this part of the world.
A soft, soaking rain is falling from the sky.  Cars made a swishing sound as they travel along the almost empty street.
All around there is the noise of the city, slowing, rising to a crescendo, then equally slowly dying to a momentary silence.
Before me, lays a picture of downtown edge.  At the corner, stands a service station.  Its bright lights illuminate the white wall of the restaurant across the street from it.  The smell of gasoline mingling with the smell of grilling meat permeates the still air.
My watch reads 2:00 am.
Near the corner an old woman, her torn dress visible below the dirty, shabby, gray winter coat, stumbles along, holding the wall for balance.
Finally, losing her fight to remain upright, she leans her back against the wall and slowly slumps down to the ground, coming to rest over a hot air vent.  Alone, she sits motionless as the rain falls.
Who will tell her of God’s love?
Who will love her?
Who?
Will you?
Think about it?
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” 
                                                                                                               Matthew 25:34-46
Think about it

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