Matthew 25:35-36 – For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in; naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. (NASB)

At the very first rendition in Dublin on April 13, 1742, Handel's Messiah raised 400 pounds for the poor and indigent, and freed 142 men from debtors' prison. Handel personally performed it for charity more than thirty times, and it was so popular that women were asked not to wear hoop skirts. This allowed organizers to pack the house more effectively!

Reviewers described it in the very words of today's Scripture:

Messiah has fed the hungry, clothed the naked and fostered the orphan more than any other single musical production. It has done more to convince thousands that there is a God about us than all the theological works ever written.

Just think of it! The created (Handel) used his God-given gift to create something that displayed his Creator, Christ.

What about the gifts God has given to us? When we use them, do they have the same result? We might want to ask ourselves this question: Do I have a "Handel" on it?

Prayer: Lord, thank You for reminding us that we are not alone in that personal struggle. Especially, we thank You for the Holy Spirit, Who revives us when we are weary, and encourages and strengthens us in a walk that we pray will leave a vision of the Christ. Amen.

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About the author:

Brenda Wood <brenda.w@nextcom.ca>
Sandycove Acres, Innisfil, Ontario, Canada
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