In this Lenten season, Kenneth W. Bensen encourages us to relax, trust in the Compassionate Christ and allow Him to work in our lives so He can help us continue to serve those in need of decent, affordable shelter.
The man beside the pool had been there for 38 years, but no one had helped him get into the water so he could be healed. The Compassionate Christ understood the man’s need and immediately healed him (John 5:1-8).
The Compassionate Christ will do the same for us today. Christ cares about us and our daily needs. One of our problems is that we take things into our own hands and do not wait for Christ to help us. I have done this, and so have you. In not waiting, we miss so many blessings.
In addition to Christ working directly in our lives, He often sends people to help us. Christ has sent many people into my life to help me on my journey. After 10 years in the ministry, I was frustrated and thinking about leaving. In the midst of my frustration, Christ sent a dying 80-year-old woman into my life. During my visits, while I thought I was ministering to her, she began to minister to me. She sensed my frustration and showed me that Christ had a plan for my life. If I would follow Him, He would take care of me, allowing me to continue in the ministry of helping others.
As members of the Habitat for Humanity family, Christ wants to help us help others in need of decent and affordable housing. You and I often do not want to wait for Christ to guide us. We go our own way. As a result, the work gets harder, our frustration grows, and the results of our efforts are hampered by our desires to go it alone.
Christ continues to work miracles for His good, our good and the good of those God has called us to serve.
PRAYER
Allow me to trust in the Compassionate Christ and to follow His guidance so I can continue to help others. Amen.
FOR DISCUSSION
1. Identify times in your life when Christ helped you.
2. Identify times in your life when Christ sent a person into your life to help you.
3. Identify times in your life when you resisted Christ’s help.
4. Identify times in your life when Christ sent someone connected with Habitat to help you.
By Kenneth W. Bensen, founder and past president of Habitat for Humanity Michigan.
Download the daily Lent Reflections in full here.
