The Lord, A Father to the Fatherless

Being alone in life can be the hardest thing for a person to endure. Some were abandoned or ignored at a young age by their parents. Often people feel alone or isolated because of how different they are than those around them either by culture, looks, social class, economic class, or simply because they have been told they are different. For some, this can make believing in a God who is personal and loving as impossible. We may feel that if the world doesn’t want us then why would a Holy God? And even if I do know Him, how does that alleviate the loneliness in my life? We find in the book of Psalms a perfect description of what kind of Father the Lord is.

Psalm 68:4-6 New King James Version

4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;

Extol Him who rides on the clouds,

By His name Yah,

And rejoice before Him.

5 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,

Is God in His holy habitation.

6 God sets the solitary in families;

He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;

But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

If you notice the psalmist speaks of singing praises to His name, the name Yah, which is a hyphenated version of Yahweh. This is significant in that it reveals that the Lord is not some far away God who is impersonable or cannot be reached. He revealed Himself with His personal name to Moses in Exodus.

Exodus 6:3-4 New Living Translation

3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty’—but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them. 4 And I reaffirmed my covenant with them. Under its terms, I promised to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living as foreigners.

The Father sought to be personable to His children in Israel. He told them He would provide for them, protect them, teach them, heal them just like a good Father would. Verse five and six reveal to us the heart our Father has. He has a heart for those who are fatherless, widowed, without families. That is why Jesus said His (Father’s) Son (Jesus) came for those who needed a physician, the broken hearted, the poor in spirit, and the humble. Jesus came not only for the payment of our sins, but also the restoration of those who were separated from the Father in heaven. Jesus Himself knew the feeling of being alone and abandoned by family and friends. His own family mocked Him and His ministry including those from His own town. His disciples abandoned Him when He went to the cross, and one even turned Him in. But Jesus knew who His Father was and knew He was not alone even in this world.

Verse six tells us that the Father will take those who feel isolated and place them into families. That is why the church is known as a body of believers. It is a body that does not function alone. It is the place where those who now belong to Christ call one another family, sister, and brother. I am closer to my brothers and sisters in Christ than I am to my own blood relatives. He has placed those of us who felt alone into a community where love and mercy is at the center. And your status in life, where you come from does not matter. All that matters is that you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and savior which makes you an adopted son or daughter.

Romans 8:15 New Living Translation

15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Matthew 12:48-50 New Living Translation

48 Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

Knowing Jesus means you will never be alone in the world again. Even if all abandon you or leave you, Jesus will never turn from you. He promises you that you will forever be a part of His family.  Because of His work on the cross, you can call on Him anytime and anywhere and He will come to you. Because of His great love and sacrifice for you, you can have full access to the Father. He tore the veil that separated man from the throne room of grace. If you are alone this season, and feel the whole world has forgotten about you, please know that the Father has His heart and eyes set on you and that He has a place reserved at His table for you.

1 Corinthians 12:27 New Living Translation

27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.