James 1: 27 “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this; to visit the orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
Dear God,
I praise Your Holy name, for You have given me strength and acceptance for what is and quieted my fears of the new unknown. I am thankful for Your love and for hearing our prayers in all situations; for I ask again to be kept in Your care, physically, spiritually and emotionally, so that I can draw closer to You my heavenly Father, and then to be able to reflect this to others that I know and meet.
It is good that James, the brother of Jesus, writes from his experience observing Jesus in all settings. Jesus had not spent His time in the temple dressed for the part and pontificating. He had indeed worshiped there as all faithful Jews did, but actually most of His time and work had been where most needed, which was with the poor and needy. He taught with simplicity and love, along with encouraging, helping and healing the sick. Whilst I would not have great numbers of poor and needy beckoning me out to help them, there are many opportunities available to assist those in need all over the world.
Please fill me with Your wisdom and sensitivity to know who to share my means with locally and around the world. Considering there always are sick, poor, sad and needy all around me, most of which I will never hear about or know. I and all of us, need Your wisdom, God, to find them, and to know when, what and how or if it all, it would be best to proceed in finding and helping certain people.
Open my (and all people I know) eyes and heart, so that I care more than myself about all people where ever they are; as step by step I am given increasingly a caring, compassionate attitude. Very importantly that I pray for others in real need more fervently, and with true belief that doing so matters to You, me and them, Isiah 42: 16 “I will bring the blind by a way they did not know, I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.”
My heart rejoices I have the answer, and so does everyone who will listen and believe, John 8: 32 “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Amen