And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ Zechariah7:8-10
(3-4 minute read)
Sometimes in the middle of our busy schedules, numerous activities and responsibilities we need a reminder about God’s heart for those who are hurting and taken advantage of.
God’s words to Zechariah, “And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah” tell us God’s instruction was not new. The Contemporary English Version captures it well: “So once again, I, the Lord All-Powerful, tell you…” as does The Message: “There’s nothing new to say on the subject. Don’t you still have the message of the earlier prophets…”
God’s people needed a reminder. God’s message had not changed. Hundreds of years earlier God spoke through the prophet Isaiah: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow (Isaiah 1:17) and the prophet Jeremiah: “Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed... (Jeremiah 22:3).
God desired for his people to show justice, yet often they failed to obey his words.
Then Jesus came, proclaiming his Father’s heart: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).
As God’s people, generations on, let’snot neglect “the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23)—those requirements that are of utmost importance to God our Father and to Jesus our Savior.
Rachel Britton
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HMM welcomes your financial support and invites you to become an Awareness Advocate and share about the ministry with your networks – church, family, friends, ministry, etc.
Your support of the Heart of Mercy Mission helps fulfill God’s requests of us, his people. It allows you to be a partner with the teams who are ministering in Jesus name, helping marginalized women around the world. Heart of Mercy Mission, as the humanitarian arm of Christian Women in Media Association, puts members’ heartfelt compassion into action and gives hope to the hopeless...feeding them, loving them, and leading them to Jesus. Heart of Mercy Mission is justice, mercy and compassion in action.
Your financial support and prayers help the women facing tragic life situations. Monthly support needed for one client:
● Food – $50/month -minimum of 5 months;
● counseling $50/session –minimum 8 sessions but many need constant support,
● medical needs$250/person - one time;
● group counseling; and
● recommendation for life skills training to help her support herself
Your financial gift to Heart of Mercy Missions will support our work around the globe. Please pray about how you can best support the mission through prayer, advocacy, or financial sponsorship.
Please pray for:
● the marginalized women around the world and in our programs who experience poverty, rejection from community, trafficking, grief, and trauma.
● the staff who faithfully minister in our programs.
● financial needs to be met for the work to continue.
