Traveling Towards Home

In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. ~ Psalm 94:19 Take time, if you will, to read this entire Psalm.  It is only 23 verses.  When we watch the news we see the world hurting the innocent and helpless. . . man's inhumanity to man.  But sadly, we can look closer to home.   Even in our lives, we have had or will have times of testing and trial at the hands of the world.  We wonder if God is watching, caring. Will He save? What  comforts  does God give us?  Let me list a few from this psalm:   He is our Avenger, verse 1;  He is our Judge, verse 2;  He hears, sees, instructs, corrects, and knows our thoughts, verses 9,10 and 11.  We are blessed by His instruction, verse 12;   We have rest, verse 13;  He will not cast us off (away), verse 14;  the upright in heart will receive a proper judgement, verse 15; The Lord is my help, verse 17; He gives us mercy, verse...

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27 Two of our local congregations recently visited at several nursing facilities. We pass out cookies, sing a few hymns and visit briefly with the residents. They are always so appreciative of a touch, a sincere inquiry about their day, the songs of their youth. I watch as many sing from memory, listen with their eyes closed or even sleep peacefully the entire visit! :) It is a small thing, once a month, to spend a few hours doing this. But what does God require of us? Just what we can do. We cannot all take orphans or widows into our homes, but we can visit a lonely, home-bound brother or sister. We can take a bowl of soup to a sick neighbor. We can share what God has given with those around us. But truly, we should share with those who cannot give us back. It's not 'what will I get out of this?' It...