Orphan

The word "orphan" has been echoing in my head this past week. Caleb and I have always loved the idea of adoption. We have been thinking about it as a potential part of our future. Interestingly, the sermon in church last Sunday was about how we are to "look after orphans and widows in their distress" as Christians.

I fully understand the intentions of the passage... but something else is brewing in my heart.

Those who do not know the Lord are orphans.

It's not just about giving children with no parents a home... there are so many people who live their lives as if their orphans (spiritually), and I feel a heaviness on my heart about that, too.

I cannot keep tears back when I imagine the most beautiful moment... seeing my adopted child for the first time. My heart surges with incredible amounts of love for an imaginary child I may never even have the opportunity to experience. I may never adopt a child.

But I have the opportunity to "look after" those who don't know the Lord. I have this opportunity constantly, and I neglect it more often than not.

I don't have exceeding amounts of compassion when someone ticks me off. I don't view frustrating behavior of others as really just likely due to not knowing a (heavenly) "Father".

It changes my heart when I consider this to be the truth. My "family" has been separated by the "father of lies" and his cunning ways. Our Heavenly Father never left... but so many of His children think He did. Now too many people live like abandoned orphans.

Just like a child who never felt truly loved because mommy and daddy didn't take care of him.

There's a lot here. There's are secrets here, secrets of wisdom and understanding that I know I can't even handle. But just the tip of this iceberg is convicting enough.