BACK TO THE HEART OF TRUE RELIGION: 30- 9 - 2019.

James 1: 27 “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”

OHEKWURU LOVECARES FOUNDATION works with orphans, widows, single mothers and aged persons.

In our July edition, we discussed the implication of our wrong response to the popular “Golden Rule” and the subtle removal of the “God factor” in making the holistic interpretation of Matthew 7:12 - “Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the laws and the prophets.”

This came up because of a conversation I had with a woman and a middle aged man.

The woman is an ardent believer and a core disciplinarian when it comes to breach in Christian virtue. She has been at the fore front and an advocate of severe discipline to any parent that neglect their parental responsibilities and allow their girl child to be pregnant outside wedlock. She advanced a case that led to indefinite suspension of a girl, the mother and the father because the girl was caught with a boy in the very act of sexual immorality.

But recently something happened, her only daughter got pregnant and worst still went ahead and abort the pregnancy. What worries me is the change in the tone of her prayers, ‘now she had been praying and fasting for the mercies of God, quoting all passages from the Bible about the grace of God to forgive and his unfailing compassion that locates people like Rahab and the woman caught in the very act that Jesus freed. She is now crying to the God of a second chance.

The middle age man though a Christian believed in this activities of the witch doctors that comes to the village to indict persons through ordeal using a popular passage “Suffer a witch not to live”. What worries me is the change in the tone of his prayers now that his own mother is indicted and sent back to her father’s house for safety”. Why is he calling on God now to have mercy on his mother and not the regular suffer a witch not to live?

When our interest is not at stake, God is a consuming fire, but when our interest is at stake, that same God is a merciful God. It brings out our selfishness and wickedness.

How does our understanding of the golden rule play out in our relationship in our homes, offices, church and the society? How do we pray if we have weaknesses? How do we pray if we see weakness in others? How do we want God to react to others situations? Is our reaction a demonstration of love or wickedness? Do you ever realize that there is no registration form to collect and fill to be enrolled as a widow or orphan or a single girl? Do you know that your prayers and request towards another person out of wickedness does not change God’s will but rather change your standing with God?

Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get.

Getting back to the heart of true religion.

Keep a date with us the last day of October 2019.