Scripture: Luke 4:18, 19 NIV “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Introduction
Domestic Violence is unfortunately something that many women, men, and children endure every day. Abuse of any kind is something that no one deserves and is not what God wants for His beloved children. We are all priceless in His eyes and as followers of Christ, we should all see every other person as a priceless image bearer of God.
Service Project Ideas:
- An Army Fighting for Good
We are called to serve and pray for the persecuted, the lost, the widows and the orphans. (See James 1:27) The Salvation Army, as a part of the Body of Christ, is called to help those in need. (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
The Salvation Army uniform is worn in prayer meetings, holiness meetings, and other gatherings. The uniform is not a symbol of a “more holy” person, but an outward demonstration of who we serve together. When you go on a military base, the active soldiers and officers wear their uniform. In war, they’re in uniform. This is so they can see whose side people are on and that you’re not alone.
As an Army of believers, we are called to pray for those who are lost and in bondage. We are called to pray for those who need to know that there is a God who sees, hears, and loves them.
This service project is to encourage us and reminded us of our place in the Body of Christ. If you are a soldier, or an officer, the next time you wear your uniform, remember who you represent and that you are not alone. Ask the Lord to continue to show you what He has called you to do and how you can serve Him. When you are in a gathering with others, be reminded that we are all on the same side, called to fight against the schemes of the enemy. If you don’t wear a uniform, you can still be a witness for Christ by your actions, the way you talk and your treatment of others. Remember people are watching.
Scripture reference: Ephesians 6:10-20
- Prayer Cards
We are all called to bring the gospel and make disciples. We are called to love others and to demonstrate Jesus’ love to the world.
Make prayer cards with specific needs listed on them: those caught in domestic violence, human trafficking, homelessness, world hunger. Pray together as a group and invite the women to take the cards home to remind them to pray for these concerns daily.
- Visit
Many people who have experienced domestic violence come to our Social Services and shelters for help. The ministry of presence is powerful, and we have opportunities to be present with the people who come in to seek practical assistance from The Salvation Army.
As a service project, take the women to a shelter, social services office, food pantry, or even thrift store and conduct the program there. Invite the women who are in the program to be a part of the women’s ministries meeting. Have some of the women’s ministries members watch the clients’ children during the meeting, so that the women can fully engage.
He is the God Who Sees!
Read Genesis 16.
Have you ever felt like Hagar? Trapped, desperate for a break. Not the one calling the shots. Feeling alone and like there is no light of hope in your future? Feeling like you are caught in a life where you are being controlled, that your life, your voice, your thoughts don’t have any value? Feeling forgotten, betrayed, mistreated, and even abused? I have.
When we meet Hagar in scripture, she was only referred to as the “servant girl” by her masters. She was not looked at as an equal or a valued image bearer of God.
But God let her know that He saw her! Genesis 12:7 says, “The angel of the Lord found her by a spring in the wilderness.” … vs 8: “He said, “Hagar” … He spoke her name! He called her by name! Not “servant girl,” but her name. The Lord saw her as a person and His beloved child. And not only that, but He also sought her out in the wilderness. He came to her. She, a woman who was from another culture and most likely did not know anything about God, came to her. She wasn’t seeking Him, but He saw her, He knew her, and He was with her.
Hagar did not have to jump through any hoops or do any specific prayer to get God’s attention. She didn’t have to strive to be good enough for Him. He simply saw her. The lowliest of people in others’ eyes. Not valued, or seen by others … He sought her out.
You may be able to empathize with Hagar’s feeling of worthless, forgotten, hopeless, trapped. This place is dark, heavy, and full of sadness. But imagine being in this moment where God comes to her and calls her by name. Imagine God coming to you right where you are and calls you by name. You look up and see the caring eyes of the Lord looking at you with pure divine love, filling every void, and healing the holes in your heart and mind. At this moment, He reveals that those feelings of worthlessness, forgottenness, hopelessness are not true at all.
In this moment Hagar was seen. And so are you. You are seen and looked at with love by the God who created the Universe. Hagar calls Him “El Roi,” meaning “you are the God who sees.” She knows she has seen the One who truly sees her. Her whole outlook on life and herself has been transformed because she has encountered the One who sees and loves her.
My friends, Jesus sees you. He knows you. Psalm 139 says “O Lord, You have searched me and known me!” (NIV) He is with you in your suffering. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” Psalm 46:1 (NIV). When we encounter Jesus, the One who sees us and loves us, our outlook on life and ourselves is transformed.
I have been like Hagar, caught in an abusive situation and feeling unseen and trapped. When I looked to the Lord for help, He answered my prayers. He showed me that He was present with me, and He saw me. He spoke to me through the Holy Spirit and through several people He placed in my life. Being in community was so incredibly important for me to find strength and reprieve. The Lord ultimately freed me from that abusive situation and has blessed me with a whole new life. He showed me that He is far greater than anything that comes my way, and He can take a life that was once broken and make something incredibly beautiful.
We all have a dependency, a desperation for God in every step of our lives. Sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers how we would expect Him to, or in the timeline we think is best, but He is perfect. He is holy. His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.
He is present. He sees. He hears. He is faithful. When devastation comes, we must allow our hearts to recall God’s faithfulness and love. He in unchanging. In the darkness, don’t let your heart ponder that you are forgotten and unloved.
God sees you. He hears you. He is present with you.
Psalm 23:4 says: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (NIV).
If you are currently going through a dark valley or are in an abusive situation, seek the Lord today. Let His Holy Spirit flow through you and remind you that you are valued, and you are seen. Ask someone to pray with you. See your church family around you. You don’t need to carry that burden on your own. You are not alone. Give it to Jesus. He cares for you. He is the God who sees. He can take this brokenness and make it more beautiful than you can ever imagine.
At the conclusion of the devotional play the song “The God Who Sees.” Available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sz81dIfwf4Y
Further Scripture References:
Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 25:40, Ephesians 6:18, Proverbs 3:5-6, Deuteronomy 31:8, John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 5:8
Resources:
The following website has interviews with women of hope. Chose one or two to share with the women: The Women of Hope Project
For more resources and signs of red flags of domestic violence, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/
Shine A Light is a Christian organization in place to help stop and prevent domestic violence: https://www.shinealightondv.org/
