Denver and I went to the Believers Convention in Texas for
our anniversary this year; what an amazing week it was. God spoke to us in so
many ways and brought healing to my body from an injury 16 years ago.
During the preservice prayer one morning, God spoke to me in
regards to orphans. Everyone who
attended was divided up into prayer groups that would pray for different needs
around the world. Denver and I were directed to group one which was praying for
orphans. For us, it was more confirmation
for what God is calling us to do in South Sudan, Africa; however, God revealed
to me orphans in a new way. I had always
thought of an orphan as someone who had no parents but rather God showed me
that an orphan is someone who does not know a fathers love. James 1:27 says that religion that God our Father
accepts as pure and faultless is to look after orphans (ὀρφανούς). The Greek
word ὀρφανούς (orphanous) means bereaved, an orphan, fatherless, desolate. The same word is used in John 14:18 when Jesus
says “I will not leave you as ὀρφανούς (bereaved, an orphan, fatherless,
desolate); I will come to you”, yet there are those who are still without love.
God has a heart for the fatherless; see Exodus 22:22, Exodus 22:24, Deuteronomy
10:18, Deuteronomy 24:17, Deuteronomy 26:12-13, Psalm 10:18, Psalm 82:3 and
many more. Notice that James 1:27 says “God
our Father”. With God there is no one
without a Father or without love. Psalms 68:5 says: A father to the fatherless,
a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God does not desire anyone to be without love
and especially without knowing of His love.
God has a calling for each of us; for Denver and I that
calling is to Africa but He is calling you as well. For some, God is calling you to share His love
with someone much closer to you; someone just next door.
Stace, This is an amazing piece. You are an inspiring writer. You sure you did not go to Bible College....? Wow that was very good.
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