“A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families.” Psalm 68:5-6
There is so much joy in God’s love for his little children. God is the Father to the fatherless, and he calls his people – the church body – to bring and release the manifestation of his love to children that may not have been born into the best circumstances.
For this trip, the most tangible representation of that is seen through Obed & Evelyn, the directors of City of Refugee Orphanage in Tijuana Mexico. Having already raised three biological children of their own, they are now father & mother to 17 kids, ranging from age 2 to 13. They have opened up a home, a place filled with love and safety for the children to grow. And for three nights and three days, our team had the joy of being able to lavish the kids in the unconditional love and joy of the Father.
My favorite moment was kissing the kids goodnight, just as they were climbing into bed after a movie night. They had worn themselves out fighting over popcorn, crumbs flying in every direction, as they watched ‘How to Train your Dragon.’ A sleepy 4yr old Dany had found his way to bed a half hour before the movie ended, and by the time we were tucking the kids in, I found him sweating under the blanket. As I maneuvered him out of the jacket that he was too tired to take off prior, my heart was filled with such pleasure in knowing that he went to bed knowing he is safe and beloved – apart of a family, and in a home.
The next morning as our team was preparing to depart, some of the children woke up early to say goodbye. A small sleepy Dany found his way downstairs to bid us farewell. With Dany in my arms, my heart nearly exploded with love and complete satisfaction in holding this small boy. In that moment I experienced the supernatural love of God the Father, and his unconditional love and affection towards this child. In that moment, nothing else mattered, and I believed I could stay in that position forever. Looking back, it was then that God reminded me that he has given me his heart for those that may be fatherless in the natural; to love and establish them in a loving home, for it is always his desire to set the lonely in families. That is our God, a Father to the fatherless; and at the end of the day, these simple acts of love remind me that love always wins.
“There is so much joy in God’s love for his little children.”, you’re probably a good fellow Mickey, but that statement is a load of bull-biscuits.
Modern nations have laws designed to enforce a code of parenting that will give a child the food, shelter, medicines, and education needed to become a responsible adult. Yet somehow ‘God’ get a free pass here, he provides his children with jack-doodle and they suffer and die in their millions because of his negligence. If we held God to the same standards we hold ourselves to as parents, then he would be in a jail cell somewhere!
Please don’t say this situation is all result of our God gifted free will, or that his ways are not our ways, or that he is beyond our ability to understand. To my ears those are excuses, not rational explanations. Imagine a confessed murderer copping a my ways are not your ways plea before a judge in a murder trial – I would hope you would vote to keep the creep incarcerated forever. Why let God off the hook Mickey, why not hold and judge him by the same standards we hold ourselves to?
To me eyes it seems as if God is a bratty kid in a sandbox who enjoys grinding his plaything creations into mincemeat under his smelly sneakers. You want proof? Grab a shovel and dig, I’ll guarantee you willl uncover a mass grave of ‘victims’ somewhere on this Earth!