Helping the Helpless.

Philippians 2 (The Message).
2  Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. 3  Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. 4  Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. 5  Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.

As I was reading these verses, I was reminded by a simple chorus that reads;

Lord make me like you,
Please make me like you.
You are a servant, make me one too.
O Lord I am willing,
Do what you must do,
To make me like you Lord,
Please make me like you.

Again the passage highlights - helping the helpless - helping others get ahead - forgetting yourself long enough to assist others first.  Getting down of one's "high horse" to become a servant like Jesus.

Again - not an easy thing to do sometimes, but a further reminder that there is more to life than ME!

A further prayer for this week and for the weeks to come as I commence some work in the community (not physically "helping" but in a capacity for The Salvation Army to continue it's commitment to helping others) is found in Song 623.

O to be like thee! blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer.
Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures,
Jesus, thy perfect likeness to wear.

O to be like thee!  O to be like thee,
Blessed redeemer, pure as thou art!
Come in thy sweetness, come in thy fullness;
Stamp thine own image deep on my heart.

O to be like thee!  full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless cheer the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like thee!  lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.

O to be like thee!  while I am pleading,
Pour out thy Spirit, fill with thy love;
Make me a temple meet for thy dwelling,
Fill me for life and Heaven above.
Thomas Chisholm (1866-1960)

My prayers go out to the people who's days are filled with assisting others (these are just a few in our local congregation) - Pray for others too.;

Major Daryl - Haiti
Major Sandy - Corps Officer
Captain Christine - Corps Officer
Captain Ken - Plan Giving
Captain Jason - Social Programs
Captain Michelle - Courts
Major Janette - Prisons
Sandy - Doorways
Libby - Bushfire Recovery
Rod - Wills and Bequests
Jeremiah - Mentoring/Refugees.

(I hope I didn't forget anyone)