Relief And Encouragement

Photo by Jess Zoerb on Unsplash

Have you ever had someone encourage you by providing relief through giving you what you needed—when you needed it?

We can encourage one another by relieving one another’s burdens through provision.

Each of us has the ability to encourage one another by relieving one another’s burdens through provision. We all have something to offer. We each have abilities and resources.

In the Book of Acts we see the followers of Jesus and the early church encouraging one another and lovingly caring for one another.

Luke, the author of Acts, tells us, “The disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.” (Acts 11:29-30, ESV).

Barnabas was often referred to as “The Son of Encouragement”. Barnabas offered so much encouragement to the believers around him that he received this title. In Acts we see Barnabas and Saul providing encouragement through their care for the believers in Judaea.

Like the early disciples, each of us have the ability to send relief and encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Jesus who have need, if we only determine to do so according to our own ability.

May we determine to encourage our fellow followers of Jesus by providing relief to them according to our God given ability.

In Christ alone, Robbie

A Collect For The Day, Proper 17: “Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 1979).

Photo by Jess Zoerb on Unsplash