WIDOWS AND THE FATHERLESS

By Jemima Rayan

Widows and the fatherless come under a special category. Throughout the Bible, we see special privileges for them. That shows the Lord is so concerned about them and takes good care of them.

God's promises:

1. God will preserve the Children:

God says that He will maintain the children and keep them safe. Jer 49:11 says,' Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; And let your widows trust in Me." The one who promised will do it. All we need to do is trust Him

2. God relieves:

Ps 146:9 says, 'The Lord relieves the fatherless and widow'. (Ps 146:9). That means God says, 'Take it easy', I will do what needs to be done. God takes your burden on Himself and says; 'I will assist you' Isn't that good? What an awesome God we serve!

3. God becomes the helper:

The word of God declares in Ps 10:14,18 that 'God will be a helper of the fatherless, He promised to do justice to the fatherless'. The Lord has promised that he will help you in the time of need. God delivers the fatherless and causes the widow's heart to sing for joy. (Ps 29:12,13) God turns your sorrow into joy.

4. God administers justice:

Deu 10:18 says, 'He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow'. It happens sometimes when people take advantage of the widows and try to cheat the fatherless. But God will not allow that to happen. God will become their judge and will decide the kind of judgement. There can be no better judge than our Lord Jesus.

Read: Luk 18:1-8: Jesus is talking about a 'persistent widow'. She would not give up. If that judge, who did not fear God and did not regard men can avenge her, how much more will God avenge us who are His own elect and who cry day and night to Him.

So do not lose heart. Pray continually. God knows your case. Just trust Him and keep praying.

5. God Himself becomes the father and the husband:

God will personally come for help on behalf of the fatherless and widows who lose the normal protection of a father and a husband. God will defend the case of a widow.

Ps 68:5 says, 'A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation'.

Is 54:5 says, 'For your Maker is your husband, The Lord of hosts is His name'. Here, the Lord says, 'He is your husband'. God wants to manifest Himself by the name husband to describe how deeply He loves His people and how effectively He cares for them. God is a protector and a provider. Praise God!

Ministry to the Fatherless and the widows:

1. Do not cause the fatherless and the widow to suffer:

God's principle in Ex 22:22-24 is that, 'You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry and my wrath will become hot and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless'.

God says this, not as a suggestion but as a command. One ought to obey His word or else God will slay the one who causes anguish or distress. God is serious about this.

2. Protect the fatherless and avenge the widows:

We have to be compassionate toward them because the Bible says in Is 1:17 says, ...Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. Jesus told John to take care of His mom even on the Cross. That shows the love, Jesus had for His earthly mom. Probably there was no one to take care of her.

3. Do not neglect them:

'When the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews that their widows were neglected in the daily distribution'. (Acts 6:1) In the early Church this complaint was there. Even today, the widows are not respected and given attention sometimes.

4. Visit them:

Pue and undefiled religion before God and the father is this: To visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (Jam 1:27)

Which literally means that we should be available for them and not shut ourselves from them. We need to take care of them and help them out in their difficulties. This is what God means to tell us. We should not only be hearers of the Word but also doers. How pleasing it will be in the sight of God if we help the widows and the orphans!

May the Lord give us the grace to take care of the Widows and the fatherless. Amen.