URC Daily Devotion Saturday 26th October 2024

Reflection
This passage is not claiming that we gain salvation through our works.  Instead, because of the salvation which we have received by grace through Jesus we should be responding by reaching out into our world sharing the love of Jesus through our actions. What this does mean though, is that we have to acknowledge that God’s retirement plan for us only kicks in once we have glorified God. Now, I am aware that we are both an aging and currently declining denomination, but we are all still being called to live out our faith. That means doing what we are able to do, and if we can afford it, also employing folk to help with our mission.

So if you are good at finance, fundraising, book-keeping, offer those skills and maybe consider training with a charity to give debt advice. If you are a prayer warrior, pray for the church, projects, social action that the church is involved with and the community the church is based in. If you are an incredible welcomer and host, do that. If you have a passion for spirituality, share that in your church, area, mission partnership, synod. If you have gifts to work with children, families and young people use them. Doing nothing is not an option – God called us to live out our faith and that means getting up out of the chairs and pews and actually doing.

We are told clearly that “religion that is pure and undefiled before God…is…to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world”. Now that encompasses a whole slew of things, but can be summed up with the Golden Rule. This means not being jealous of what gifts someone else has, or living like those who don’t know Jesus, but to always see every person as a child of God and to see that encounter as an opportunity to reach out. 

Prayer
Creator God, 
You have given us a world and called us as your followers to live out your example.
Encourage us to discern what gifts we have been given by you.
Inspire us to get up and use those gifts, to help the orphans and widows of our modern world.
Embolden us to open our eyes to the need around us.
Incite in us a passion to spread your word through action.
Amen.