Armloads of blessing

And now, God, do it again—
bring rains to our drought-stricken lives
So those who planted their crops in despair
will shout hurrahs at the harvest,
So those who went off with heavy hearts
will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.- Psalm 126:4-6 (The Message)

So, I'm really into this book Pop Goes the Church. In it, author Tim Stevens talks about being a missionary in your own neighborhood. He says, and I'm going to blow the exact words, but people can't see God's love if their basic needs aren't being met. In other words, to be relevant in a community, you have to gain permission by meeting their needs.

Which got me thinking... what are the needs that need met in our community? Is it basic necessities (food, shelter, utilities, clothing)? If so, how can we as a church meet those? Is it the general emptiness people feel in their lives? If so, how can we meet them. It got me thinking about this Psalm: "And now, God, do it again- bring rain to our doubt stricken lives."

So, until we figure out where people need their needs met, this will be my prayer.