ORPHANS AND O-R-P-H-A-N-S

          
"When my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up." Ps. 27:10

I woke up this morning on the verge of tears. I am not an orphan. My mother is still alive. I still have remaining family members in different parts of the nation, whom I very seldom see.

There are of course "technical" orphans. They are born helpless and defenseless with no one who loves them to take care of them. Their parents may have died, or they may have been given up by their mothers. Even worse, many are made orphans by the ravages of war, in countries where families cannot live in peace, and many die leaving starving children behind. My heart goes out to them.

I am sure that not knowing who you really are or where you came from can be a lonely existence even if you have loving adoptive parents to care for you. Really you are very lucky that someone plucked you out of the crowd and wanted you all for their very own.

Yet...I feel very much like an orphan. Alone and forgotten.

I work with the elderly on a daily basis. I try to make their lives brighter and full of joy. So many of them are completely forgotten by their families. No one comes to visit them. Perhaps some families are too poor to make the trip. Others though, I know, have been written off by their children. Some have successful children who could afford to come make the trip, but they don't have the time to invest in their long-forgotten parent, as they live their busy daily lives.

Then I come home after a long day to my dark apartment, without a dog or cat to greet me. No husband. No warm hearth. No warm embrace.

Yes. I have the Spirit of God with me. But sometimes a person needs real human comfort: a hug, a smile, a kiss on the cheek.

When you tried as hard as possible to raise your child or children to want to know and serve the Living God, and they insist on going their own, selfish ways...there can be no real understanding. Sometimes not even real communication.

A mother may go out of her way to reconnect with long lost family members. She may move thousands of miles away from friends and established business connections to be near her children and grandchildren.

But if the grown child doesn't appreciate all that its mother has done, raising them on her own, without the benefit of child support - then what more can a mother do?

When screamed and shouted at, belittled and having abuse heaped on her, should the mother keep setting herself up for more hurt?

If a child had to live with an abusive father, even though the child doesn't remember, the imprints of that devastation have been written upon his or her personality. The child may blame the mother instead of the father for the male parent's abuse.

Even with psychological counselling, treatment for PTSD, without the treatment of the spiritual aspect of this blight, no lasting remedy can be achieved. Only a personality healed and changed by the power of Jesus Christ can overcome this hardship which happens to so many people in our society.

The resulting children, especially males, seem compelled to repeat the vicious cycle of abuse. Sometimes they unconsciously adopt the absent, abusive father's attitude toward women and children:  to be "seen and not heard", to "speak only when spoken to", etc.

So even adults can be orphans. Orphans don't have to be technically "orphans" to be isolated and alone in this world.

To top it all, we are living in the "last days". The Bible says:

"And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold" Matthew 24:12

It also says:  "And a man's foes shall be those of his own household." Matthew 10:36


And yes. It is important that the Church at large help the widows, divorcees (who are often widows not by their own choosing), and the true orphans.

        "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this, to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspoiled from the world." James 1:27

Yet, the Church needs to be cognizant of Christians and others who have been jettisoned out of their families by prior family break-ups. Sometimes people are relegated to memory only, by rebellious and toxic children, and sometimes by other uncaring family members.

One thing about the deep, prophetic, spiritual walk is that most people will misunderstand you. If you are engaged in the prophetic, seer realm, you own family may reject you. Often your actions may be interpreted by "mental illness", or some other such title they try to attribute to your uniqueness. This family isolation certainly sets one up for mishaps and traps of the enemy, due to lack of family support.

For that reason it is important to make strong connections with a church of your persuasion.

There is also a large segment of dedicated, Christian women who have no spouses, let-alone Christian husbands. The ratio of men to women in our society is very uneven. Far more women are looking for male partners than vice versa. As one ages the statistical probability of finding a match goes down even further.

According to Infoplease.com in 2014 the ration of males to females was two to one.

                  www.infoplease.com/spot/womencensus7.html

To find a mate is a miracle! Many married couples go through life not even realizing it was God that enabled them to find each other and fall in love. To have a warm, close-knit family is one of the greatest blessings God can bestow on anyone. Cherish your family.

Cherish your mother. She deserves it. You will never know how many nights she stayed up walking the floor, holding you in your arms as you cried until dawn. You'll never know the endless multitude of stinky diapers and vomit spills she cleaned up. You have no idea of the opportunities she missed or the abuse she endured for you. EVEN A MOTHER CAN BE AN ORPHAN.

But this mother is going to "DECREE" the Word of the Lord and expect Him to fulfill it as she sends it forth out into the heavenly realm. Because God's Word goes out and does not return empty. It accomplishes fantastic feats in the spiritual realm. (Isaiah 55:11)

"... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15)

AND "Her children arise up and, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her." Proverbs 31:28 

  God's blessings to you and your family in this new year of 2017! May all the orphans find families!

                   "Give Me Jesus" Fernando Ortega - Ruth Graham Tribute