As for yourself, you shall go to your ancestors in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. Genesis 15:15
Going to our ancestors in today’s world can seem daunting. Visiting our elders requires that we make time during our crazy schedules to spend quality time with older people we think we have little in common with. It is just as important today to make time for our elderly family members as it was thousands of years ago. It is a time when they can share their stories about family history. These elders are the lucky ones, the ones who have family who visit. So many of the elderly do not have anyone that takes the time to show that they care.
We all have a responsibility to be active members in God’s family. When we are baptized, we receive a call from God to be his. When we affirm this and accept Christ, we respond to God’s command to extend his love to the people all around us. We all know the verse from Matthew, “love your neighbor as yourself.” That one verse, can lead to positive changes in the lives of many!
Lay people are called to be channels of love for our neighbors. It is mainly through us that ordinary people in society hear the gospel, the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and promised us everlasting life.
So, as you go through your everyday lives, try to raise your antennae, to find someone you can connect to and make a difference in their lives by taking the time to do regular visits with them. God needs each of us and the most beautiful thing is, that as we live our everyday ordinary lives in a God-centered way, our lives become an integral part of furthering God’s Kingdom.
Caring Provider, help us love ourselves and our neighbors. Amen.
Terry Fry has been visiting people who are home bound for years, and recently completed the Lay Eucharistic Visitor Training Program through Lutheran Congregational Services. She is a member at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Oley, PA.
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