God’s Sanctuary
by Max Lucado
The purpose of the church is to provide bread and swords! To the spiritually hungry, the church offers bread–spiritual nourishment. To the fugitive, the church offers swords–weapons of truth:
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Food and equipment. The church exists to provide both. Does it always succeed? No, not always. People-helping is never a tidy trade, because people who need help don’t lead tidy lives. Jesus calls the church to lean in the direction of compassion.
At the end of the day, the question is not how many laws were broken but rather, how many desperate were nourished and equipped? God’s sanctuary—where He gives food to the hungry and tools to the soldiers. May your church provide both for you. And may you be a part of a church that does the same for others.