Fast: Last day!

We are coming to the end of our rice and bean fast and what an amazing experience it has been.
God is GOOD.
He has taught us so many things over the week. We have learned to rely on Him more.
God provides.
We have been eating roughly 1100 calories daily, and maintaining our "normal" life. I have rarely been hungry. Though, now at day seven I can feel myself losing some energy I know that God is providing me with what I need.
Changing my eating routine has been one of the hardest things for me. The other hard thing has been that I am REALLY bored with rice and beans. Yet, I have the luxury of getting to eat something different tomorrow. A HUGE majority of the world does not have that luxury that you and I have. They look forward to rice and beans today (hopefully), tomorrow (hopefully), and a year from now (hopefully).
This week God has laid it on my heart to read all of the passages in the Bible that relate to the poor and the hungry. This took a while as there are a LOT!) You know what it means when something is repeated over and over again. IT MUST BE IMPORTANT. Let me share a few of these with you.
Proverbs 21:13
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.
Proverbs 22:2
Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.
Deuteronomy 15:11
There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land. Notice the command in there. It is not an option for us as followers of Christ.
Isaiah 3:14
The Lord enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: "It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses." This judgement is against His own people. We are His people as well, let us take this to heart.
Matthew 25:40
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Luke 4:18
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Also found in Isaiah 61:1-2. This is the scripture that OUR Jesus used to describe himself and to proclaim His ministry. If we are to be Christians and to follow Christ, we should follow his example.
I pray that these will change you.
They have been changing me.
What is really important in this life?
We are the rich ones in the Bible.
Let us be openhanded towards the poor and needy.
It is not easy.
Following Christ is not supposed to be easy.