We want y'all to think about something for a minute. Think about your family. Think about how blessed you are to have been given a family - your family. Yeah sure, they're not a perfect family...maybe they're a little broken. But aren't we all? We all have issues - that's what it means to be human.
The point is this: you - yes, you - have been so incredibly blessed with a family while millions of children around this globe are alone. Let it sink in. So many children don't know the loving touch and gentle words of a mommy. Many have no idea what it means to be swung up on dad's shoulders, high above the world, feeling like nothing can ever go wrong cos, hey, dad's here. So many people on this earth are alone this Christmas - widows, widowers, lonely people, orphans. No lively dinner times where everyone stumbles over one another's words to tell their news. No family to confide in and share daily life. Alone. Alone.
It is not a comfortable thought, is it? It's tempting to push this devestating reality out of our minds - ignorance is bliss, right? Yeah, its bliss, but its no way to make a difference in God's world. Thoughts of orphans and widows makes us feel guilty and helpless. I mean, what can I do? But as Christians we cannot ignore this. If we do so, we might as well rip James 1:27 right out of our Bibles. The verse says this: pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble. God loves the fatherless and, as His children, so should we.
So during this Christmas season, when it is tempting to focus on one's own family, let's share God's concern for those who are alone. Let's light our world by reaching out to those less fortunate than ourselves. Why not include some lonely members of your church in one of your Christmas celebrations? Maybe make some cookies for a grieving widow in your local body of Christ? You only have a little to offer those who are alone? So what? A little goes a long way. Be creative - we can all make a difference. Let's shine Christ's love this season.
We encourage you to watch a music video by Steven Curtis Chapman, who has a real heart for orphans. The song is called All I Really Want for Christmas and can be found at the links below.
Windows - http://media.emicmg.com/SPD11231/video/wma/300/AllIReallyWant.asx
Real -
http://media.emicmg.com/SPD11231/video/real/AllIReallyWant.ram
May it touch and challenge your hearts as it has ours.
The Peas
5 comments:
THANK YOU for sharing that! More people need to hear about the orphans, to feel the burden for them. Lately, more than ever, I've felt a burden for them (our family's adopting 4 children) It's so wonderful to meet someone else who has a heart for the orphans, and also Biblical femininity. :-) God bless!
Great thoughts. its too easy to focus on yourself during Christmas time!
P.S. that song thing up there by Jeremy Camp is neet. i just wish I had sound on this puter. :(
Brianna - how wonderful! Our family fostered a little girl for about 6 months of this year. She was adopted in October (good for her - bittersweet for us). Let us know how it goes with your new siblings!
Chris - I don't think the music thingie at the top of our blog actually works for anyone right now. Jess (Pea #4) figured out how to put it up - I have NO idea how! :)
Good stuff there Chicas :)
BTW the song at the top works for me.
Great idea. Chris is right... its easy to think only of yourself during Christmas
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