I Will Drink No More

Mark 14:25

The Lord is showing me how it may appear that Days 57-58 were specifically focused on Uganda.  That was not the intention. 

Uganda is distant to us.  True famine is distant to most of us...it's not in our backyard.  Not only that, but we can see in Old Testament days that famine was something sent by God for a purpose...and it was temporary...seen to have relief. 

The intention of Days 57-58 was to get in touch with God's heart through prayer...to let go of our worldview...get past ourselves, our worries and concerns so that we can, through prayer, see some of what God sees.  Then I asked the Lord, "OK...my heart is burdened now...what can I do?"

Granted, the majority of us don't live near Uganda, Kenya, Africa, India, or anyplace where famine is a way of life.  Granted, the Lord appoints some to be leaders...some servants...some of us are richer, some poorer.  Some of us are born into affluent countries and others into impoverished; but how does that fact absolve us?  Does God have His own caste system? Or are we to take our abundance and give it to those impoverished?

In Mark 14:7, Jesus said, "For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always."  And in John 10:10, Jesus said, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
 
In the Greek, John 10:10's "life" is life/lifetime; and "abundantly" is beyond, superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality).  Why does the combination of these two verses add up to a prosperity doctrine?  In the midst of a trial or suffering, how often do we say "I don't know what I'd do without Jesus; how does the world make it without turning to Him?"  Doesn't the mere presence of Jesus automatically make our lives superabundant or superior? a little easier to live?

While famines in the Old Testament were temporary, how long now have we been seeing famines in our lifetime?  I'm thinking of a song called "If We Are the Body"...why aren't these arms reaching?  The atheist looks at the impoverished and says "If one exists, where is their God?"  Then the atheist looks at us Christians crying "Bless me, Lord!" and laughs while we try to be a witness and testimony of the One True God and Father of All Creation.  I don't like thinking this way, but do they witness hypocrisy?  Do they have grounds with which to question? 

So...what can we do? 
1) We can start by taking our eyes (and hearts) off of everything and everyone except Christ and what/who He approves.
2) We can put off the old man and, praying Proverbs 30:8, trade our heart for one renewed with what God loves.  Proverbs 30:8 says "Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me."
3) We can take a stand against doctrine that promotes prosperity at the expense of poverty.  Does 'poor' have to be equivalent to 'impoverished'?  Let's ask God to help us become sober and vigilant.  When Peter was in jail and in chains, people prayed for hours...FERVENTLY...for his release.  No one went to the jail.  Can we pray for hours on end...fervently...asking God to bring an end to the famines (on earth as it is in heaven) or even provide the means and mobilize us to relieve those who are suffering? 

Soberness and vigilance...perhaps Jesus isn't necessarily having a party while He prepares our place in heaven...but is "fasting".  Mark 14:25 says "Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God."