Focus: James 1:27 - KJV
27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Acts 9:36-42
Religion is said to be the belief in and worship of a superhuman power or powers especially a God or gods. This general description puts it on belief and worship. In the Christian parlance, it is beyond just that, but involves a relational connection between the man and his God, not gods. For the Christian God to be truly worshipped or served purely, the believer must first be kind and loving to his neighbors, particularly the less privileged. The most common amongst the less privileged are considered to be the orphans and the widows. Hence, when a person is related to God, for the same to be considered pure before God, he must be such that abstains from sin and cares for the orphans and widows. Those who do so are lenders to God in worship. Incidentally, whether we believe it or not, God worships them in return, kind of, as He would owe no one.
As head of the Church, Peter knew the essence of the ministry of caring for widows and orphans and would not joke with the same. There was a woman who also cared so much for the widows in her locality, such that when she was not available for a while, all the widows felt her absence and they rallied themselves for her sake. In actual fact, the thing that made Dorcas unavailable took her life, leaving the widows in utter distress. When Peter was called to come to their aid as their benefactor had given up the ghost, Peter needed not to do extra fasting and prayers for the sake of bringing Dorcas back to life. When he called on God on her behalf, he was actually drawing from her account with God, what she had lent to God. Lo and behold, the Lord willingly repaid by restoring Dorcas to life and putting smiles on the faces of the widows again.
It is good for us to claim to love God. But our claim will be considered false if we cannot first show great love to our neighbors whom we can see. When we close our minds to our neighbors who have no basis to lack, it may be understandable. However, the category of orphans and widows are needy indeed and God has direct responsibility to care for. Hence, when we show love to them, we serve God more. It is in God’s place to recompense everyone that takes care of His (fatherless) children, the orphans; or His ‘wives’, the widows. Let us therefore be intentional as believers, like Dorcas, to seek this category of people out to minister love to them. That perhaps is one of the reasons why Christ said to us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. They that give to the needy lend to God. Think about it: the needy that receives appear to be mounting up debts on God’s account. Howbeit, when the receiver misbehaves to God, it makes God more sad considering the pile of debt on the same’s account with God.
SOLUTION: Please take time out to give to the needy, particularly orphans and widows, regularly. God is honored in doing so. And when you are without blame regarding sin, and you do give, then is your religion pure.
Please pray:
Thank you, Lord for being my father, provider and all in all. Of all that you give me from time to time, please grant me the fortitude to care for the needy, particularly the orphans and widows going forward, so that my religion before you may be pure, in Jesus’ name. You are the one that gives seed to the Sower and bread to the eater, please continue to provide for me both, so that I may never beg bread or lack seed to sow. In all, please do not let me die young, or be widowed, or my children orphaned and become the responsibility of others, by your mercy, in Jesus’ name.
If you are blessed by this post, kindly share with your contacts, as well as others, that they may be blessed also. Thank you and may God bless you abundantly as you do so, in Jesus’ name
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