Widows, Orphans, and My Hope for Glory
I am God's child. This was not always true for I spent the first 19 years of my life orphaned by sin. I was born into a world held in sin's sway and by my own sin, I was made dead to God. It was through faith in Jesus, in recognizing who He is and what He has done for me that I was adopted into the household of faith and became a child of God. My heavenly Father is a perfect father. He is a fit parent in every way and He meets my every need.
Not only am I God's child but I am also a part of the bride of Christ. Before I came to Jesus, I was as a widow struggling alone in this harsh cruel world. I had no protection and I often fell prey to the wickedness around me and also the wickedness that had taken root in me in my constant struggle to survive. My betrothed now watches over me, protects me, never leaves me lonely, and I am never left to feel used and unloved. He fills every longing of my spirit to overflowing and the harsh memories of before are being washed away, day by day, as I bask in the light of His love.
I am no longer a widow nor an orphan for Jesus visited me and brought me Hope beyond measure. He has left me here (though not alone for His Holy Spirit is ever near) in a world filled with widows and orphans. He commands me to do as He has done for me, visit them in their affliction and take to them the Hope that is Jesus. I am to love God above all others and all others as myself, just like Jesus. This is my calling and what it means to be a Christian, that I take the gospel to the world in love. I do not need a degree in theology, all I need is Jesus living in me. All I am required to speak is the truth about Jesus and allow Him to love those who are now widowed and orphaned by sin, through me. I need no longer fear the sin that afflicts them for I belong to Jesus; I in Him and He in me, and sin has no power over me. The power to overcome sin and death resides in me and Jesus keeps me spotless and clean.
Child of God, never forget where Jesus found you. Do not begin to think more highly of yourself than you ought and don't forget the Great Commission. Do not isolate yourselves from the widows and orphans that surround you and seek to go out of the world. You are left here with a purpose and that purpose is to love; not with human love that seeks its own pleasure but with the divine love of Jesus. This divine love that sets God above all others including self and loves all others as we love ourselves. The love of Jesus that is the fulfillment of God's Will and not of human desire is what the world needs. It is Jesus loving others through us that has the power to turn the world upside down and set it straight.
Child of God, Jesus lives in you through faith. Will you also, through faith, allow Him to live through you that those yet afflicted by sin might turn to Him and live?
Paul said, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" and for those of us in whom Jesus lives our hope for glory is the same. May God use us all in the coming year, to reach others for Christ that by faith, they may also be adopted into the family of God as Christ takes up residence in them. May God renew in us all a hope for glory and a desire to see sinners saved!
James 1:27 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 by the world.
Col 1:27-28 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
Not only am I God's child but I am also a part of the bride of Christ. Before I came to Jesus, I was as a widow struggling alone in this harsh cruel world. I had no protection and I often fell prey to the wickedness around me and also the wickedness that had taken root in me in my constant struggle to survive. My betrothed now watches over me, protects me, never leaves me lonely, and I am never left to feel used and unloved. He fills every longing of my spirit to overflowing and the harsh memories of before are being washed away, day by day, as I bask in the light of His love.
I am no longer a widow nor an orphan for Jesus visited me and brought me Hope beyond measure. He has left me here (though not alone for His Holy Spirit is ever near) in a world filled with widows and orphans. He commands me to do as He has done for me, visit them in their affliction and take to them the Hope that is Jesus. I am to love God above all others and all others as myself, just like Jesus. This is my calling and what it means to be a Christian, that I take the gospel to the world in love. I do not need a degree in theology, all I need is Jesus living in me. All I am required to speak is the truth about Jesus and allow Him to love those who are now widowed and orphaned by sin, through me. I need no longer fear the sin that afflicts them for I belong to Jesus; I in Him and He in me, and sin has no power over me. The power to overcome sin and death resides in me and Jesus keeps me spotless and clean.
Child of God, never forget where Jesus found you. Do not begin to think more highly of yourself than you ought and don't forget the Great Commission. Do not isolate yourselves from the widows and orphans that surround you and seek to go out of the world. You are left here with a purpose and that purpose is to love; not with human love that seeks its own pleasure but with the divine love of Jesus. This divine love that sets God above all others including self and loves all others as we love ourselves. The love of Jesus that is the fulfillment of God's Will and not of human desire is what the world needs. It is Jesus loving others through us that has the power to turn the world upside down and set it straight.
Child of God, Jesus lives in you through faith. Will you also, through faith, allow Him to live through you that those yet afflicted by sin might turn to Him and live?
Paul said, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" and for those of us in whom Jesus lives our hope for glory is the same. May God use us all in the coming year, to reach others for Christ that by faith, they may also be adopted into the family of God as Christ takes up residence in them. May God renew in us all a hope for glory and a desire to see sinners saved!
James 1:27 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 by the world.
Col 1:27-28 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
2 Comments:
Thanks for this excellent reminder, Joy. I especially liked:
"I do not need a degree in theology, all I need is Jesus living in me."
And I also liked the way you clarified the word 'orphan' to include those who have been orphaned from God by sin.
Hi BB,
Thanks for all of the encouragement that you give me. I am very thankful that God brought you into my life.:0)
Pam
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