Thursday, 25 June 2009

• Sam and Esther Continued

  Even before I saw these clips on youtube, I have been contemplating the verse that says pure and undefiled religion is taking care of widows and orphans. (James 1:27)  We have all heard it many times, but really think about those words - pure and undefiled. I have really wondered if there is any other act that we can perform that God calls pure and undefiled. I have not found another example, but please let me know if I'm missing something. It seems that all that we do as humans have an element of impurity, but God chose the care of widows and orphans to proclaim His view of purity. If it really ranks that high in God's eyes, why aren't we flocking to perform the very service that God sees as true religion. This is the real deal, the thing that clearly proclaims that we are God's hands and feet.

  On a side note, I received feedback from a friend a few weeks ago that basically said that I didn't need to focus on starving kids in other countries, that it was their parents responsibility. She went on to tell me that God would care for them and I didn't need to burden myself with them. And, here's my favorite that I hear often - I can't save them all anyway! So, if I'm understanding this correctly,  a 14 year old girl that was born HIV positive gets raped and becomes pregnant in Uganda. She is sick and starving and dies giving birth. The extended family are unable to even feed their own children and protect them from the LRA that roams the villages kidnapping children to train as terrorists, so they bring the baby into an orphanage that can barely feed the 100 children that already live there. Now, who's responsibility is that baby? I can't see that in Scripture where it's the mother's. I see to whom much is given, much is required. (Luke 12:48) When you evaluate the world, we are that group! I read whatever you do to the LEAST of these, you do to me! (Matt 25:45) God is going to measure our love of Him by our care of the least - widows and orphans! Pastor appreciation days, Bible studies, etc, are all great, but we are missing the mark when we aren't meeting the needs of widows and orphans. We all need to find a cause that is working for orphans and help them; be their American liaison, support a child, send a sea-container or adopt an orphan. If we are too busy, we need to dump some inferior activities in order to make time for pure religion!

  Here's the happy conclusion of Sam and Esther, made possible by only a couple of individuals being the hands and feet of Jesus.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba-4WKcrb5s

   

   

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