Hail many

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Deuteronomy 5:32 – 33      You shall be careful therefore to do as the LORD your God has commanded you.  You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.  You shall walk in all the ways that the LORD your God has commanded you.

1 Samuel 15:22      And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, is to obey is better than sacrifice and to listen than the fat of rams. . . “

Psalm 19:7 -8     The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul. . . The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing in the heart.

Psalm 119:1 – 5       Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!  Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!  You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently.  Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!

Proverbs 3:1 – 2     “My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.”

Proverbs 4:4       Let your heart retain my words; keep my commands and live.

Proverbs 19:16     “He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is careless of his ways will die.”   

Matthew 16:24      Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Mark 1:17      And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Luke 6:46     “Why do you call me LORD, LORD and not do what I tell you?”

Luke 9:23       And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

John 8:12       Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 10:27  – 28    My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. . . “

John 14:15     “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. . .”

James 1:22      But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

 

God wants us to become new creatures, casting out our evil, selfish, self -centered ways, and becoming loving and giving, eager to be serving others who need.  There are so many people who seem to be natural givers.  Mother Theresa, Carrie ten Bloom, and many others, including a couple within my own family.  I feel like a Cretan compared to them.  (And yes, I know I am not supposed to compare!) 

So many passages remind us to do for others; get up, off your duff and do.  He doesn’t want us just being mouthpieces, claiming we believe in Him and want to do right, and then largely doing NOTHING.  There are always folks worse off than you and you can lend a hand; certainly not necessarily money.  (In fact, I am abundantly blessed.)  But you can read to elderly persons who can no longer see well enough to, spend time in a library reading to a children’s group, maybe help a young student just learning and having a little problem with math or reading, or some other subject you are good at; you can volunteer to give a young mother a break by babysitting her children so she can go shopping or have an afternoon to herself, perhaps you can mow someone’s lawn, maybe you can make cupcakes when it’s a neighbor’s turn to bake them for her child’s class—and it is one more stress she does not need.  Perhaps you can volunteer to pick up groceries for an ill or elderly neighbor.  The point is, we all can help others, should help others, and not just see a need and walk past it; but actually do something to help.

I ask God to open my eyes to opportunities to help, and when I hear of a need, I try to act.  But I don’t actively seek those opportunities, and that is one area I would like to see change in my life.  There are so many things I could do if I knew of the need.  But I think I need to step out and find the needs.  

I know several from my church who routinely step out.  It’s perhaps time for me to hold onto their shirt-tails until I find the avenues to walk and serve.  If I can mention several areas of helping others, I ought to be able to find the persons who need those services.  

There are many different ways you can find opportunities.  You can check with your church—members may know of another member who is ill or needing help, the grocery store sometimes allows folks to put up cards with a request of help, deacons at church are also good resources, one can check at hospitals or you can look at local chapters of Meals on Wheels, elderly facilities such as memory care, nursing homes, and so forth.  You can volunteer at a local Salvation Army, Good Will, Food Bank, and so many more resources.  It might take some exploring through internet for local opportunities, but they are there.   I’ve decided I have sat back long enough waiting for opportunities to present themselves, but I need to step out and seek.

Thank You, Lord, for reminding me of persons from my church for me to reach out and get information.  Take me out of my selfish ways to reach out.  It is so much better to give than to sit and wait…Thank You for all You have done to guide me and ‘mybellaviews.’