Caring: July 20, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY JULY 20, 2012.

CARING

DEFINITION:

To be concerned; to desire to make provision; to watch over.

SCRIPTURE:

"If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." I Timothy 5:8.

"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.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

These scriptures remind us that we have a responsibility to care, both physically and spiritually, for those in our family. Also, we are instructed to CARE for the orphans, the widows, the hungry, the poor and needy.

After Saul and his sons were killed in a battle with the Philistines, David became King. David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake." II Samuel 9:2. David was told that there was only Mephibosheth. He was the son of Jonathan and crippled in both his feet. David immediately sent for him.

Mephibosheth came before David in great fear because he knew that his grandfather, Saul, was jealous of David and had sought to kill him. After reassuring Mephibosheth to not be afraid, David said, "I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father, Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather, Saul, and you will always eat at my table." (II Samuel 9:7) All the rest of his life Mephibosheth sat at David's table like one of his sons. David showed he cared by his action of kindness. When we truly care we will act upon it.

God instructed the children of Israel under Moses, when they were wandering in the desert, that they were to take care of their families, and not only their families but also the widows, the fatherless and their neighbors. Caring for others does not come readily for most people. God does care about each one of us, even when we are disobedient to Him.

It has always been those who love God who have done the most to care for those who are lonely, hungry and needy. The closer you are to God, the more you will have a heart for others and caring for others will become more natural to you.

As those who love the Lord, loving and caring for others should be our major life's work and caring for those of our "own house" our highest priority.

All of our lives we have had the privilege to work with missions where we have been able to help care for the poor and needy. It began over 50 years ago when we were in Korea with the assignment to set up over 140 orphanages for World Vision to take care of the abandoned "GI" babies after the Korean War. In later years we helped care for the children living in the slums and in refugee camps in Africa.

Our hearts were broken when we saw children in Honduras dying with cancer with no medical equipment or medicine. We could not help but to get them equipment and medicine to show that we cared for them. These few examples should be enough to challenge you to care for someone you meet today that has a need and is waiting for you to care for them.

We have experienced that there is great joy in caring for others and being able to do something to make their lives better. The blessing is always ours when we help someone else.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 8:18.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

PRAYER:

Help me to be a caring person that You can use. Keep me alert to the concerns of my family first and then to my neighbors and friends. Give me the strength and discernment to be that caring person that honors You to those that need care today.