James 1 - How it spoke to me.

Most Christians are familiar with the passage of James 1:27- "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

To put it plainly, this verse not only spoke to me as doing a good deed for a child who is in need, but it goes much deeper than that- that pure religion is how it was before Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. God visited this orphan (me) in my own affliction (sin and a life doomed for hell) and raised me up by His grace. It is through Him that I now have that hope of a true deliverance from suffering. He poured his grace and love out on me, how can I not do that for someone else who may never have the opportunity to hear about Christ. I hope that the child who comes into our family will someday see Christ in all His glory.

I want my adoption in Him to be reflected to a child that someday will grow up to have their own family and can share the good truth with them.

The day I read this passage, I compared it with a conversation I had had with a friend that week about adoption. This friend had told me that their family had considered to adopt, but now just wasn't a good time for them, so maybe in the future. James 1:22 says, (I will actually quote it out of my daughters children's Bible- I like the way it states it plainly) "Don't just listen to the word. You fool yourselves if you do that. You must do what it says. verse 25 goes on to say, "But suppose you take a good look at the perfect law that gives freedom. You keep looking at it. You don't forget what you have heard, but you do what the law says. Then you will be bless in what you do."

WOW! How in the world can I overlook such an opportunity! I just keep thinking how if I were to say no to God about adopting now, then what kind of blessing would not only my family in its entirety be missing out on, but myself. So, how could I say no!?!

(Another great passage to look into is Romans 8.)