1 Corinthians 16 - Steve Wiggins Daily Devotional

“Now about the collection for the saints: you should do the same as I instructed the Galatian Messianic communities. On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save to the extent that he prospers, so that no collections will need to be made when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you recommended by letter to carry your gracious gifts to Jerusalem.” 1 Corinthians 16: 1-3

A few years ago, I visited the Grove, a shopping area in West Hollywood. Touring the boutiques, I eventually meandered into the GAP. At the front of the store was a huge display, advertising “RED”. RED is the GAP’s humanitarian effort, (in partnership with The Global Fund) to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

According to the World Health Organization, 34.3 million people have AIDS. 25.4 million of them live in sub-Saharan Africa. No doubt, we should all pray for a cure for AIDS and contribute resources for research. The folks at the Global Fund are raising millions of dollars in various campaigns, and the GAP will certainly play a serious role in those efforts.

But, what if there was a disease that made AIDS look like the common cold? What if there was a condition so deadly that it would eventually kill every living person on the face of the earth? Would you be concerned? Knowing it would affect you and your loved ones, would you join the campaign to raise awareness?

What if you discovered there was a cure for such a catastrophic plague? It would take a vast amount of resources, but we could eventually reach every person on this earth, alerting them of their contamination and making the cure available to them. At the very least, they would have a choice to accept healing. What if the cure ensured eternal life and the favor & glory of G_d?

That’s exactly the kind of charity Paul is talking about in today’s passage. We were terminally stricken with sin, until we became recipients of Yeshua’s healing. We have the knowledge and resources to get the cure to everyone we meet. So what are we doing about it? The next time you’re at the mall and pass by the GAP, try to remember: The blood of Yeshua was…RED.

Blessings,
~Steve Wiggins, Associate Leader, Worship Leader
Shuvah Yisrael
Daily Devotional, Sunday, September 15, 2013