01312026 Caring for the Neediest

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our gentle God. Most leaders ignore or look down on the poor and simple; they interact with the popular and renowned. But God claims, “I care about those who are in greatest need and profoundest hurt.”

There are members of society who can be overlooked and devalued. Perhaps they are viewed as not contributing anything. In fact, the evaluation may be that they are only detracting. Their care places undue demands on those around them. They are so needy that no one can adequately meet their needs. Perhaps relationships with these people are undesirable. Their situations are uncomfortable to consider. Their pain and deprivation feel awkward and even irresolvable. It is easier just to ignore these very needy people and to focus instead on the important people. Instead of discriminating against those in the lower echelons, God cares deeply about those who exhibit great need and experience great hurt. He says perhaps more to these people than to any other group. His compassion declares . . .

“When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble” (9:12).

“For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever” (9:18).

“The poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless” (10:14).

“LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress” (10:17-18).

“A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains” (68:5-6).

“For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners” (69:33).

“He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer” (102:17).

“For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death” (102:19-20).

“Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock” (107:39-41).

“For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul” (108:31),

“Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children” (113:5-9).

“I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor” (140:12).

“The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing” (145:14-16).

“Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners: the LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous: the LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down” (146:7-9).

“The LORD lifteth up the meek” (147:6).

God says, “Come to me, you who are weary and weighed down. Come to me, you who are unnoticed and unloved. Come to me, you whose needs are not met. I notice you, I love you, and I can meet your needs and ease your burdens. I will be your listener, your helper, your provider, your defender. I will comfort you, strengthen you, include you, sustain you. To me, your life is about more than mere survival. I want to reach into your depths, snatch you out, and reverse your position. In the right time, I will completely change your pain, sorrow, and loneliness; in their place I will give you healing, joy, and acceptance. Trust Me to care for you and to lead you out.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

01242026 Doing Special Things

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our gentle God. He holds us as beloved and special, and His love takes action, as He declares, “I want to do special things for you.”

Sometimes we can feel humdrum and ordinary. In human relationships, we can feel like we are on the fringes – perhaps overlooked - included in the group, but never near the center. Not the first one looked to for help or leadership, and neither the first one singled out for acknowledgement or assistance. In the divine relationship, we can mimic these same feelings. We can fall into doldrums where it seems like we are not special to God. Sure, we are His child, but it doesn’t seem like anything noteworthy is going on. We can feel unnoticed and taken for granted. We slog away week after week, and we don’t see the extraordinary intervention of God that we hear reported by others. If we aren’t careful, our discouragement can turn into doubt about whether God actually takes pleasure in us. But God says . . .

“For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield” (5:12).

“But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me” (13:5-6).

“He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me” (18:19).

“Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips” (21:2).

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters” (23:2).

“The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace” (29:11).

“Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness” (30:11).

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way” (37:23).

“Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. … He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee” (81:10,16).

“I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, to his saints” (85:8).

“Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (103:5).

“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him” (103:11).

“For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” (107:9).

“He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings” (107:35).

“The LORD is gracious and full of compassion. He hath given meat unto them that fear him” (111:4-5).

“For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation” (149:4).

God says, “I want to do wonderful and bountiful acts on your behalf. Certainly there are times within My greater plans when you might not perceive abundance or bounty, but even then I am working all things for good. Surely if you think carefully, you will be aware of the multitudes of times when I have bountifully provided, when I have wonderfully answered prayer, when I have done amazing things beyond the bare necessity. I do these things because I love you deeply and desire your good. My love compels me to treat you as special by showering you with My abundant interventions: protection, provision, strength, comfort, guidance, reversals, pleasures, superfluous blessings. I work powerfully for you because My love for you has no bounds.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

01172026 Special to God

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our kind God – the one who is warm, loving, and accepting – the one who reassures, “You are special to Me. I care about you. I claim you as Mine.”

Human relationships can be inconsistent. I suppose the most common shortcoming is that we tend to take our loved ones for granted. We get used to the status quo, and we forget to express our love. We all have observed the sappy romanticism of dating couples and newlyweds, and we also realize how unusual it is for that overt display to continue through all the following decades of marriage. That doesn’t mean the love is any less, but we can become careless and less intentional in our expressions of it. As a result, many married people at some point reach the conclusion, or at least the doubt, that their spouse doesn’t love them anymore. The same can happen with parents and children as the years and stages progress. Especially as women, our memories are short, and we need frequent reassurances of love. There are lots of people in our world who feel unloved, and sometimes that is only because the people who love them neglect to overtly express that love. We want to feel special to someone, and God says . . .

“But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself” (4:3).

“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (8:3-4).

“Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings” (17:8).

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (23:1).

“Withhold not thy tender mercies from me, O LORD; let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me” (40:11).

“We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” (100:3).

“He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives” (106:46).

“For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself [have compassion] concerning his servants” (135:14).

“The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy [kind] in all his works” (145:17).

God says, “My dear child, you are unable to comprehend how precious you are to Me. I have chosen you. No matter how insignificant you think you are, I notice you, and I care about you. You are the special object of my affection, and I will display my love in part by giving you all that you need, by creating a place where you belong, and by showering you with my care and compassion.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

01102026 When You Want to Hide

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our gentle God, who understands that sometimes all we want to do is disappear when life is too much for us. His words of comfort and reassurance are, “I am with you when you want to run and hide, and I will shelter you.”

There are days when each of us just wants to pull away from life and hide. Maybe we want to pull into our shells like a turtle. Maybe we want to escape to the mountains or the seashore or a deserted island. Regardless of our preferred real or imagined favorite retreat, we probably want to escape the presence of people. We want to be alone, peaceful and quiet, far from the demands, pressures, dangers, and attacks of life. In the midst of our desperation, we simply desire to disappear, and we wish there were a reliable and convenient place where we could be sheltered and secure. God says . . .

“In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?” (11:1).

“Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them” (17:7).

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (23:4).

“Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city” (31:21).

“How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings” (36:7).

“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast” (57:1).

“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler” (91:4).

“The LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul” (121:5-7).

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me” (138:7).

"If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (139:8-10).

God says, “I know that life can be totally overwhelming and that sometimes you want to escape or hide. I am here for you as your refuge and retreat. I am a place of nurturing, comfort, protection, and safety. In the darkest and most threatening places, I am with you to protect you. I will hold you close under My sheltering wings. I am the best place to shelter when you just want to flee, and I can keep you until the danger has passed. Run to Me and rest in My care.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

01032026 God Never Abandons

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our gentle God, who is constant and faithful. He gives us these comforting words: “I am not going to ignore you, abandon you, or turn my back on you.”

There are various reasons, both intentional and unintentional, why those who have been involved in our lives might withdraw from us. True, such a hurtful change might stem from selfish and malicious reasons: envy, bitterness, anger, lack of forgiveness, and so forth. But many times the reason is less sinister. Sometimes the change is gradual and without hard feelings, prompted simply by the changes in life and interests. People get married or have children; they take on a new job or a time-consuming ministry; they move geographically; health concerns limit them or consume their time and energy; they face time-consuming family situations. These types of changes are less choices of rejection than they are inevitable adjustments. Finally, abandonment by others could simply stem from careless oversight. With the constant adjustments of life and routine, interpersonal alignments can gradually shift. There is even the unavoidable barrier of death. Whatever the reason for the diminished interaction, it can feel like abandonment, rejection, and betrayal. These changes happen because humans are finite; they have limited love, limited time, limited energy, limited compassion, and so on. God, on the other hand, is infinite in His characteristics. Because He can be everywhere at all times for everyone, with a perfect love and faithfulness, God says . . .

“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, O LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee” (9:9-10).

“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up” (27:10).

“For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off” (37:28).

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (46:1).

“For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance” (94:14).

“Thou have beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me” (139:5).

God says, “I will never leave you and I will never, ever forsake you. I will be faithful. I will always love you. I will always be there for you. I will never run out of time for you or be unavailable. I will stand by you even if everyone else has abandoned you. You can find loving, compassionate help from me – always. Turn to Me when you are lonely or needy.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA