“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27, NASB)
After six years, I still revisit this prayer I prayed on January 14, 2010. I take a moment to examine my heart each year on what took place. I’m sure I miss things in Scripture when I read it, especially Scripture that is familiar. Little did I know then that obeying the word of God to “visit [them] in their distress” would influence my life like this and prepare me to better understand what it would require to keep oneself “unstained by the world” as the slander would soon begin to fly.
My journal entry on January 14, 2010 was short – but the impact of the days to follow would unknowingly shape how I read and preach the living word of God today.
Date: Early morning: January 14, 2010
Prayer: God, disaster like this raises many questions; how do I answer the questions and how do I handle this growing concern [I have] for the orphans?