Pure and Undefiled Religion [SHAPED BY FAITH]

A few days ago, my dear grandmother passed on to receive her heavenly reward.  Her spirit left this world exactly how she had wanted, in her own bed, surrounded by family, and in peaceful sleep.  She will be terribly missed, but we rejoice for her.

My grandmother lived in a small, mid-western town and attended a tiny, country church.  Her closest relative lived nearly 2 hours away, but her last few weeks of life were full of visitors and love.  I was so impressed with how the members of her community showered her with affection in her final days.  Every day she had different neighbors stop by to visit.  Every day someone dropped off another yummy treat.  Every day she received cards in the mail because someone was thinking about her.

“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)

As a Christian widow, my grandmother received the kind of care that the Bible defines as “pure and undefiled religion.”  Wow!  After so many years of her Christian service, God laid it on the hearts that she had touched to give back to her a little comfort.  I want to say thank you to these people for loving my grandma, but most of all, thank you for the example of pure, selfless obedience to God.  Praise God!