The numbers are staggering: There are more than 143 million orphans worldwide. Every 14 seconds an AIDS death leaves another child orphaned. More than 800,000 children pass through America's foster care system each year.
Yet, there is One who cares - our Father in Heaven. Throughout the Bible, God shares His Compassion, His Love, and His Special Concern for the most vulnerable among us - the orphan. They are the world's waiting children. Children with no father or mother to protect them, waiting for someone to care for them, and for someone to love them.
The Scriptures are clear that the Lord gives the Family of God the responsibility
to care for the orphan's needs - to Love and protect them. In fact, God's
concern for orphans is so central to His Plan for us here on earth that
He inspired James to write, “Pure and undefiled
religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans
and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
(James 1:27)
Why would God tell us that caring for orphans is “pure and undefiled religion”? Maybe it's because the world sees God's Heart when He Works through His People to help the helpless. And, maybe it's because caring for orphans is such a perfect picture of our relationship with God. In our inability to please God through our own efforts, in our utter helplessness to initiate a relationship with Him, we are more like orphans and strangers than we like to admit.
It is time for the Body of Christ to step up. The urgent needs of orphans around the world are calling the Christian community today to a radical faith. One church, one family, or one person can make a difference.
Today God is stirring the hearts of His People to this incredible need and opportunity. There is a movement worldwide of people coming together as one voice to not only raise awareness, but more importantly to mobilize The Body of Christ to take action on behalf of the orphan.
“Vindicate the weak and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:3-4)
