JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is to remember those with sickness.

In Matthew 25, Jesus said that a day will come when the King will sit on his glorious throne and separate the sheep and the goats.

Verse 36 says, To the sheep, He will say, “I was sick and you looked after me.” The righteous will be surprised by that statement and respond, “When did we see you sick and go to visit you?”

The King will reply, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

This highlights the significance of looking out for those who are sick and belong to the family of God. There are practical ways to look after someone facing an illness. Provide a meal. Run errands for them at the local store, or do some chores around the house. Sending a get-well card or a note of encouragement also sends the message that we value their friendship and are thinking of them.

Remembering those with sickness is a vital step to a Radiant Faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK-One of the foundational teachings of the Christian faith is the moral depravity of humanity. Apart from Christ’s influence, we are lost in sinful and selfish ways. Sin is at the heart of our problem.

Jeremiah 17:9 says “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

The heart is so deceptive that it is possible for us to deceive ourselves into thinking we are in a better condition than we really are.

The good news about Jesus is that He is our remedy of hope. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. We can be set free from guilt and experience forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus for us on the cross. What is incurable for man is possible with God.

Jesus says in Luke 5:31, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  For the sickness of our sin, there is a cure, and his name is Jesus.

The heart of our problem and our remedy of hope is a lesson of faith worth remembering.