Orphans

John 14:18-21

When the word orphan comes into your mind what thoughts are conjured up?  For me it has a connotation of abandonment, of desertion, of rejection, of being left behind.  Now it may not have anything to do with the parents, they may have been killed in some manner, or it could be many other reasons, but that does not change the reality of not having a home and parents who care and provide for you.

I also have a name that comes to my mind of a man named George Mueller who lived from 1805 -1898.  “Among the greatest monuments of what can be accomplished through simple faith in God are the great orphanages covering thirteen acres of ground on Ashley Downs, Bristol, England. When God put it into the heart of George Muller to build these orphanages, he had only two shillings (50 cents) in his pocket. Without making his wants known to any man, but to God alone, over a million, four hundred thousand pounds ($7,000,000) were sent to him for the building and maintaining of these orphan homes. Near the time of Mr. Muller's death, there were five immense buildings of solid granite, capable of accommodating two thousand orphans. In all the years since the first orphans arrived the Lord had sent food in due time, so that they had never missed a meal for want of food.”  (Taken from George Mueller Quotes) 

But I am so thankful to understand that though you and I had parents, and that is a great blessing, we also were abandoned and fell into the orphanage of sin, for God has said; “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23 ESV).  And we also know that our loving Father bought us out of the bondage of sin by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.  By faith, not our faith, but the faith the Father has given, we agree with God in the manner that the apostle Paul states in Romans 10:9, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Now, we have a loving Father, we are part of a family, and Jesus Christ is our older brother, our Savior and Lord.  Our older brother, being in the form of man, yet God, wanted you and I to understand the value the Father has placed on orphans, and Psalm 68:5 gives much clarity to that fact; “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.”

So our Lord, and brother wanted us to have a clear understanding that we were not being abandoned.  Going back to John’s gospel, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:18-21 ESV)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Quote from George Mueller: “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”