Saturday Song: Jethro Tull, "Aqualung"

I once heard an announcer wonder why anybody would write a song about a homeless person. It obviously didn't cross his mind that people might actually care for somebody like that "poor old sod."

Check out Jethro Tull's song here.

I'm glad that Christ cares even for pathetic wretches like the man in the song. We have the guarantee from Jesus that whosoever calls on his name will be saved. John 6:37 (BBE) promises, "Whatever the Father gives to me will come to me; and I will not send away anyone who comes to me."

God loves broken and contrite people. Psalms 34:18 (BBE) reminds us, "The Lord is near the broken-hearted; he is the saviour of those whose spirits are crushed down."

Even the poorest beggar can call upon the Lord of the Universe. Psalms 141:8 (BBE) says, "But my eyes are turned to you, O Lord God: my hope is in you; let not my soul be given up to death."

Moreover, we're charged with the care of our Christian siblings as well as to people who don't believe. James 2:15 and 16 (BBE) reminds us, "If a brother or a sister is without clothing and in need of the day's food, And one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warm and full of food;' but you do not give them the things of which their bodies have need, what profit is there in this?"

Poor people are the most likely to receive Christ as they have no position to be proud of nor pride to get in the way. As Jesus read from the book of Isaiah, quoted in Luke 4:18 and 19 (BBE), "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because I am marked out by him to give good news to the poor; he has sent me to make well those who are broken-hearted; to say that the prisoners will be let go, and the blind will see, and to make the wounded free from their chains, To give knowledge that the year of the Lord's good pleasure is come."

God knew that there never would be a time when there wouldn't be impoverished and broken people among us. He spoke through Moses in Deuteronomy 15:11 (BBE), "For there will never be a time when there are no poor in the land; and so I give orders to you, Let your hand be open to your countrymen, to those who are poor and in need in your land."This is why we have rescue missions today which reach out to folks like Aqualung. Some repent and some don't but the gospel is preached to them in any case.

On Monday, I hope to post about good deeds and which count in God's assessment.