Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. – Psalm 68:5
Loneliness, fear, anxiety, confusion, financial distress… all these emotions can be brought on by widowhood, to both the widow and the widower. As you think of some of the widows in the Bible, imagine the circumstances and the emotions each of them may have experienced.
The widow of Zarephath in Sidon was chosen by God as the one Elijah would stay with during the 3-1/2 years of drought in Israel (1 Kings 17). Naomi, an Israelite, and Ruth were in Moab when both their husbands died (Ruth 1-4). Abigail’s husband was a boorish, harsh man who died suddenly when “the Lord struck him“ (1 Samuel 25). Bathsheba’s husband was honorable but killed because of the pride of another (2 Samuel 11). And then there is Mary, the mother of Jesus, by then a widow herself, who suffered the pain of watching her son endure the worst possible agony ever known (John 19).
And yet… God the Father protected each of them in a way particular to their needs. And it is no different today. His desire is for the care of the poor and needy, the fatherless and the widow. God still watches over these vulnerable members of society and would enlist the believer to visit the widows and orphans (James 1:27) and do his part to help improve their situation.
If the widow and orphan can trust the Father in Heaven to be dedicated to providing for them, you can certainly trust Him to stand as your Helper in times of difficulty. He is Lord… yesterday, today, and forever. Pray for His guidance in your life and for this nation and the men and women who lead it. He will be faithful.
Today’s Verse: Psalm 68:5
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: James 1:16-27
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
