Pure and Undefiled Religion

I received an email this morning from my friend, Oscar, who along with his precious wife and helper, Emma, care for several orphans along with their own 3 children. They also provide when they can to other children in their village who have very little due to the health of their parent or guardian. Sometimes all these children really have is a roof over their heads, but they have Oscar and Emma, and he does not turn a blind eye to their needs. Even when he has so little for the 12 orphans for whom hw cares, he still shares with the other children and some widows who are also living in desperate circumstances.

The Happy Choice compound has been transformed over the last few years. God has invited some of His children to be part of this work in a little village outside Kisumu in Kenya. Because God is faithful to provide, they now have a new hostel with bunk beds and blankets and mattresses, a new kitchen, a new latrine, water piped in from Kisumu and now electricity! Who would have ever believed that this was possible? Not me, I'm afraid. I didn't have that kind of understanding and faith. I do now. Praise God!

I am continually amazed at how God touches hearts for the children in this small villlage. How Oscar and Emma walk by faith, believing that God can do anything. And once again, He has provided through His children, electricity to the compound!

Our women's class is doing a study of James (which, by the way, I highly recommend.) and the lesson I did this morning was on pure and undefiled religion - "to care for the widows and orphans"... The prayers and financial support that is given by "well wishers", as Oscar calls them, is "pure and undefiled religion" - showing love and concern for those who cannot provide for themselves; loving our neighbor with actions instead of just empty words.

James asks the question: "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?" James 2:4

Oscar and Emma are rich in faith and it is clear that they love the Lord with all their hearts. When we help them, we are doing exactly what God has called us to do.

Sometimes it feels like what little I can do doesn't matter. There is always a need to be met that I personally cannot meet. I can only imagine how Oscar and Emma feel when they are confronted with with no food for the children, but they don't choose to do nothing, just because they cannot do much. They do what they can and trust God to provide. After all, He fed 5000 men with 2 loaves and 5 fish. I sometimes forget that.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, hits hard on this point of caring for those who cannot care for themselves.

James 2:14-17

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

God keeps reminding me to do what I can do. He doesn't require that I do what I am unable to do, just that I do what I can. This is how we show our love to God; we care for his people who are hurting.

I'm reminded of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man had everything on earth and apparently couldn't even "see" Lazarus as he sat outside his gate, hungry and and in need of basic necessities.

But God saw Lazarus.

When they both died, Lazarus became the rich man and the rich man was in torment, begging for the salvation of his brothers who were still alive, but it was too late.

---------------

Oh, Lord, help me not get so caught up in my "wants and needs" that I fail to do what I can do to help those with less. Help me to do whatever I can do, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

In the Bible, You told us of the widow who gave all she had, and even though it was next to nothing, You honored her and even gave her a place in Holy Scripture - because she gave even more than she had. How will I ever be able to stand with those believers who are so self-sacrificing? Those precious believers like Oscar and Emma? Bless them, Lord, with riches greater than we could ever imagine! I sit at their feet, humbled by their love for others and their complete faith in You. I'm so thankful to know them, and I'm so thankful that Christ wraps me in His righteous as I stand before You, Father. Change my heart, make me more aware of the suffering around me instead of my focusing on my own little struggles. All Glory and Honor and Praise to You, because You alone are worthy to be praised! In the precious name of Jesus, our Savior, I pray. May Your perfect will be done. Amen.

October 11, 2013

Devotional – For God so loved the world

He loves each one of us, as if there were only one of us."

                                            — St. Augustine of Hippo
--

John 3:16 NLT

¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

I don't love anyone enough to give one of my children or grandchildren to save another's life. I just don't.

It's such a hard concept to imagine that God loves us sinners enough to allow His precious, perfect Son to come to earth knowing what He would endure: the ridicule, the beatings, the betrayals, the hate, the horrific death... but God chose to show His love for us through this sacrifice we can't comprehend.

HE LOVES US! The Creator of the Universe stepped down from Heaven with all it's glory, so that He could become our personal Savior; not just Almighty God who speaks and we tremble in awe and fear, but as our big Brother who would ultimately die in our place.

God wants us to know how very much He cares. He is not a distant God, but One who not only came to earth to live as a man enduring incredibly difficult circumstances, but our Savior sent His very Spirit to live in us.

The Holy Spirit of God knows our every struggle, battle, temptation, hurt, pain, everything about us. He is with us in those moments when no one understands the agony we're facing. HE understands because He is there! I think of all things I do or think or say through the course of any day that must offend Him and break His heart. Even so, He stays with me, prompting me to remember how much I'm loved. That love demands my mind, my heart, my body and soul. I'm compelled by this unexplainable love to live for Him, because He died for me.

God allowed His Son to suffer a life of pain and disappointment. Does that mean He didn't love His Son? No. It means He had a loving purpose far greater than the suffering. Through the suffering of His Son, the whole world could be saved and have the opportunity to spend Eternity with our Everlasting God. Was His suffering justified for such a great purpose? Jesus was willing to pay the price and He trusted His Father through the suffering because He believed the pain was worth it.

When I read the bible I see so many times when God allowed His children to suffer, but each time there was a purpose far greater than the suffering. What suffering could we not endure if it meant even one person might find Christ and be saved from Hell?

Wednesday night, in our Beth Moore study of James, she said something that grabbed my heart. I hope these words can translate the same intensity on paper as I felt when she said them:

"Do you not know how much God loves you? Do you think He doesn't love you enough to remove you from the pain you are facing right now if there was not a purpose much greater than the pain?"

As a parent, the only way I could watch my child hurt was if that hurt was the only way to healing. Watching a doctor realign a broken arm so it heals properly, holding the hand of a child as they receive painful fbut necessary treatment, I could stand by and allow that kind of pain, because I know the good it serves, and I know what might happen if I don't allow the pain. And that's exactly what my Father does. He allows pain and suffering when the pain and suffering is overshadowed by the good that can be accomplished through it.

 One of my daddy's favorite passages in the Bible (mine too) is in Genesis. Joseph is second in command over all Egypt. He's come through incredible struggles: his brothers hated him and were willing to let him die in a cistern, but then decided to make a little cash off their little brother. They sold him to slave traders who sold him to man who had a wife with a wandering eye. Joseph was the best slave he could be, but when he refused Mrs. Potipher's wiles, she falsely accused him of betraying his master Potiphar. He was thrown into jail where he was a model prisoner. After years in prison for a crime he did not commit, finally, he was called to appear before Pharaoh. There was a purpose for the suffering.

 God allowed every painful, unfair event in Joseph's life. Why?

 Pharaoh would make Joseph his right hand man and put him in charge of everything. Joseph's suffering had prepared him for this very moment, for this purpose. Joseph saved Egypt from the famine that came. He saved surrounding countries that came to Egypt to buy food. He saved his own family, his father Jacob and his 12 brothers.

When the brothers came to buy food from Egypt, they had idea that it was their little brother who sat before them as they asked for food. Joseph knew them right away and he felt love towards these unworthy brothers. When they finally realized who he was, they were afraid for their lives. But Joseph eased their minds.

 Genesis 50:19-21 NIV

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. ²¹ So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

I don't understand the suffering around me. But I do believe that it breaks His heart when one of His children hurts. I believe a tear comes from His eye, when a child's "broken arm" needs to be reset, but He knows without that momentary pain, the "arm" will never heal.

 

Beth Moore says that maybe we should consider the suffering God allows in our lives as a gift.  A gift intended to help us or someone else grow in faith and in the conviction that God provides all we need.  When we cannot stand by ourselves, we turn to our Father.  He pulls us close and gives us divine strength from His unlimited supply.

God doesn't remove every hurt, struggle or pain, but I trust His love and His perfect purpose for those He loves.