It’s happened again. And it should never happen.

A husband died. The widow waited. And no one. I repeat No One from the church came to visit.

Why? Oh, we can think of all kinds of reasons—excuses—but rarely do those reasons add up.

In just this last year, at three different churches (should you be prone to criticize one congregation) one person became bed-bound, one person housebound, one person extremely sick, and two husbands died. And in each case--no one from the church came to visit. One pastor did visit, another texted, but as for the body of Christ—not a one.

And every one of these individuals was involved in their church, one of the deceased a church board member.

I have determined that a lot of people go to church, but very few are the church, because God’s commands are crystal clear.

James 1:27—“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Matthew 25:36, 40,  41-43 — “ . . . I was sick and you looked after me . . .‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’. . . Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I . . .I was sick and you did not look after me.”

There is a lot of focus on prayer and praying right now, and well there should be. Our number one priority is to have a right relationship with God and to be in communion with Him. Jesus said this, when he said the greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

But the second follows right on its heels. “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

James 2:16 states “If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?”

Then again in James 2:18—“But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”

Yes, we might be busy. Yes, we might not know what to say. Yes, we might feel awkward,  and yes, we need to pray. But we also need to DO something.

​Matthew West’s song “Do Something” says it so well.

I recently had my tires rotated and was met with the following pronouncement: “Your tires are wearing unevenly on the inside. You need to have your wheels aligned.”

The tech went on to say that this was not unusual, and that even though my car is relatively new, hitting unforeseen potholes or misjudged curbs could be enough to throw the car out of alignment. And though not noticeable while driving, the tell is in the tires. The longer I let the misalignment continue, the more expense down the road.

Our spiritual life can be a lot like that too.

An unexpected bump in the road or a bad judgement call can be just enough to knock our spiritual life slightly off-kilter. We may not notice the difference right away, but over time, the tell-tale signs will surface: a critical or cynical spirit; a lessening in our time in the Word or with God; our drifting toward the things of the world to satisfy our desires.

Left alone, we would only drift further and further off-course and experience frustration, worry, anxiety.

How to get realigned?

We refocus—on God—and not our surroundings or circumstances or selves.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

So many things—disappointments, unexpected prognoses, betrayals, financial concerns—can cause us to lose sight of the God who promises to always be with us,  who knows us intimately and who knows everything we need. 

When this happens, we need to stop, take a deep breath, and realign. 

I just returned from a short road trip (is there such a thing?) to Montana. The shortest route took me cross country, only putting me on a major freeway for about 300 of the 1900 miles. The rest of the time I was on small, scenic highways—two lanes, little traffic, and lots of rolling farmland going one way and forests coming the other. The views were absolutely beautiful.

But there was a price to pay for this remote beauty.
​
It’s called . . . No Service.

It happened multiple times, but most notably on my way home. I was driving US 37 in Montana next to Lake Koocanusa. It was absolutely beautiful, but there wasn’t a town for 69 very windy miles, and I watched my cell service go from multiple bars, to one, then to SOS, and then—to nothing.

I felt a sense of unease. I hadn’t seen a car in my review mirror for miles, and couldn’t remember the last time a car came from the other direction. By my calculations, if I broke down, the buzzards could eat me before anyone would find me.

I took a deep breath and prayed. “God, you’ve been with me this entire trip. You’ve seen me safely to my destination. I pray you see me safely home. If I should break down, I pray that you provide the assistance I need. Thank you.”

I took another deep breath and felt myself calm. And then realized something.

I wasn’t without service. God still had me as he had the entire time. While man’s network wasn’t working, God was.

Then the verses came flooding back.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place … Proverbs 15:3

You know when I sit down and when I rise up … Psalm 139:2

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121:8

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Psalm 121:2

Man cannot promise a world free of glitches and malfunctions or that we will always have human help available. But God . . .
Those two words will take ALL uncertainty out of a very uncertain world. Any situation that looks hopeless, just say those two words and you will remember that God has overcome it.

I am stranded, but God sees me and knows where I am and knows what I need.

I am sick, but God is the Great Physician.

I have done some unpardonable things, but God is the God of mercy and grace and redemption. He makes “all things new.”

Remember . . .

​But God . . .

I recently returned home from being away for six weeks. Though I had a wonderful time, when I turned onto my street and saw my house, I was overwhelmed with a sense of joy. 

I was home. A place I knew well and felt comfortable.

That’s why, when I picked up the devotional book I had been reading before I left--pray a word a day: volume 2 --and saw the word for that day was “place” my interest was piqued. After reading it, I had to share it with you.

Here it is.

“A good friend told me the importance of having a place to pray.

My first chair still holds fond memories. It was a $5 special from Goodwill. It was in this chair I made my place to pray before my family got moving each day.

It was in that chair I began reading through the Bible, which I would do over and over again as the years passed. It was in that chair I asked God why my eleven-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer. It was in that chair I wrestled with financial debt and worry.

That was the spot where God met me every day. He never missed a day. Having a place to meet with God has been invaluable.

The practice of being in a solitary place for ten, twenty, thirty minutes each day reminds me where my help comes from, the Maker of Heaven and earth.” — Mark W. Salley

This devotion reminded me that if our physical home can provide us with a sense of peace and comfort and security, then how much more important is it to have a “place” where we meet with God who provides perfect peace and comfort and security. 

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. (Matthew 6:6 NIV)

Do you have that special place, a special chair, where you and God get together each day? I hope so.