DISH TO PASS! JAMES 1

It is Christmas eve day and as I wait for the turkey to totally defrost (soaking it in water for the last half hour or so….old trick but officially not on the packaging), my son has placed the gifts in piles. He has counted them 4 for Sam, 8 gifts for Matea and Andrew. Some gifts for Ejigayehu, Kidist and Yared that will remained wrapped until they get home. Andrew says “hey mom you have no presents under the tree”. I had told my husband I didn’t want anything (we are trying to save money etc). But still I feel like Mom and Dad are totally the winners this year. My heart is so full with my beautiful family. God is so good.

Since ‘y’all’ (yes this yankee is being southernized by living in NC) can’t be here for the turkey just want to give you FOOD FOR THOUGHT , some real meat to chew on. I have been thinking a lot about James 1 in the bible. The entire book is full of good juicy morsels. But in reading I would like to approach it from the end of the chapter to the beginning (sort of like…’eat dessert first’).(shh.. I had cookies for breakfast....)

James 1: 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Many of us know that scripture but I think it is important to read before this passage too. This is the scripture that truly convicted us to adopt. We can know what God wants but if we don’t DO what He wants, what is the point?

TAKE ACTIONS
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS:
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

So: He asks us to take care of His orphans. He calls us ‘deceived ‘ when we don’t act on His command/word. And He knows we will be facing trials but our perseverance will make us better people.

If any of you have a calling to adopt please take the leap. God needs you to join us in caring for His children. He will provide. There will be trials, you will most likely have doubt or fear (I did many times) but HE will pull you through and give you the best gift of all…the honor to be on His team, doing His work and serving next to the ALMIGHTY. There is no greater gift!