He is the Defender of the Fatherless.

When it comes to praying Biblical prayers, I absolutely love that there are so many scriptures regarding the fatherless. One of my favorite names for God is Elohim - the supreme One over the fatherless, or bereaved ones, and the widows and desolate places. We know from the Bible that He is near to the broken hearted. His nature is to draw near to those who are, by societal standards, “lowly” and “meek”.

In Psalm 68:5, He is described as the “father to the fatherless”.

In Deuteronomy 10:18, He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow.

Psalm 10:14, He’s a helper to the fatherless.

Psalm 146:9, God, the Father, sustains the fatherless and widow.

In Psalm 82:3-4, God is the defender of the poor and the fatherless.

Our hearts should be for the restoration of families on the earth. But how can we do that? By becoming foster families and stepping in to receive children whose parents need to work on themselves. Becoming wrap-around families to surround those that are fostering/ adopting by providing prayer, physical support, and financial support. Giving of our time and resources to life-affirming pregnancy centers to create opportunities to restore the family before the child is even born. Volunteering with organizations that provide mentorship to parents and to children.

We can no longer sit on the sidelines and expect legislation to dictate morality. We are commanded by God and the Bible to step up and provide in ways unimaginable to the vulnerable in our communities. This is what it means to be the Church. The one that Jesus said that the gates of hell wouldn’t even prevail against.

God wants and desires His people to be His hands and feet here on the earth. If there are so many scriptures that point to Abba being defender, sustainer, helper to the fatherless, how then should we live as believers? God desires families to be restored under His banner. Families are extremely important to the Lord and so they should be very important to us.