Gospel Reflections #1113: Mindful of what God has done

Psalm 41:1 ‘Blessed is the one who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver them in the day of trouble.’

This conveys the blessing bestowed upon those who stand by the socially and physically vulnerable, and God’s promise to deliver them from calamity.

The term ‘the poor’ does not refer solely to those who are economically disadvantaged.

It also includes those suffering from illness, mental anguish or loneliness.

It refers to all socially vulnerable people who cannot escape their current circumstances by their own efforts.

‘To take notice of’ does not simply mean feeling pity or sympathy.

It is an attitude of seeking to deeply understand the other person’s needs.

It means standing by them and offering concrete help. And for those who care for the vulnerable, there is a reward from God.

When they themselves face a crisis in life (a day of calamity), God will surely deliver them.

It is a promise that those who show mercy to others will also receive mercy from God.

King David, the author of this psalm, himself suffered deeply from illness and betrayal.

Drawing on his own experience of weakness, he sings of a profound lesson of faith: ‘It is those who know God’s mercy who can be kind to others.’

It is only through our own experiences that we can truly empathise with those who have gone through the same.

We do this not for our own salvation, but because we know and have experienced that God stood by us in our time of distress.

Perhaps we can only do for others what has been done for us.

That is why I wish to be someone who is mindful of what God has done for me.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.