Catch the Vision
REFLECTIONS FROM PATSY ON THE FATHER’S HEART
When I was a young girl, the Lord put a desire in my heart concerning orphans. Years later, I recognized this desire to not only pray for, but also to help them, was God’s own desire toward orphans. By His grace, He made it clear to me that He has a special part in His plan reserved for children with no father. He would be their Father; to love and provide for them and use them especially for His glory.
His love is being displayed all over the world through those that are giving to these little ones who have nothing in their hands to give back. Hope for Children was started for this purpose; to not just say that God loves the orphan, but to actually put action to those words. Visit our “Be a Part” page to join with us in extending the Father’s love to these precious children.
GOD’S PRIORITY FOR ORPHANS
(Source: Brian Mills as supplied by Interprayer)
God is the Father to the fatherless! One respected Swiss-based research organization estimates that, based on a survey of 88 countries, there will be 100 million orphans under the age of 15 around the world by 2010. That is huge! Half of them will be AIDS orphans. No wonder God is alerting His people to the need to care for orphans. James reminds us that what God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this to look after orphans and widows in their distress (James 1.27).
But God is also looking for more for children who are orphans to get to know Him as their Father to learn to hear His voice, pray, live by faith, reach out to others, plant churches and become nation changers even by the age of 14! If children can be Olympic stars by this age then surely they can be stars for God too! We hear much about the abuse of orphans the world over. But where are the stories of those whom God has raised up? Moses was an orphan. Joseph as a child was rejected and sold as a slave by his brothers, and became separated from his family.
Samuel was handed over by his mother to be raised by a priest. David was ignored by his brothers and father from an early age. Yet all of these became stalwarts of faith, trust and obedience to God, and leaders of their nation. He was their Father! Gods Word also exhorts us about support for orphans. The tithe was meant for the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow (Deut. 26.12). When crops were harvested, some were to be left for the gleaners – for the fatherless and widows.