Fatherless. Born never having a man to call Dad, a Father to trust or rely on. So many children come into the world innocent victims to irresponsibility and selfishness, leaving them without even the most basic of family structures. Their lives are forever impacted by an adult's choice to abdicate responsibility and abandon flesh and blood.
Where do the childless go? How does the fatherless child learn to be a man without an example? How can the lack a family structure be overcome?
By God alone.
On this earth there will be orphans, our world of sin makes that inevitable. Earthly parents walk away from their own flesh and blood, shattering the God-given family unit.
But that same child left orphaned by the world is not without hope. To all the orphaned, fatherless children there is the opportunity for adoption. In His Holy dwelling, God sits with great anticipation, ready to sign our papers of adoption.
The Bible is God's written plea for our adoption into His family. He pours out His desire to love us, shelter us, protect us and parent us with compassion and tender care. By sending Jesus Christ to earth He paid the ransom for us and bought us by laying down His life. There is no higher price to be paid for the life of a child. Earthly adoption isn't cheap. Heavenly adoption costs everything. That price has been paid in full. The check has been signed with the blood of the precious Lamb of God.
The adoption of God's children cost God everything but cost us nothing but our surrender to our new Father. Just like an earthly Father, we must heed to the commands of God, obey His rules and respect His authority. Just like an earthly adoption, the family will not be at peace and unity unless the child humbly submits to the structure of that new family.
In God's family there is a great privilege and inheritance to be had when we embrace our roles as sons and daughters. We become His children through faith and live victoriously by the indwelling of the Spirit that is given by our Heavenly Father. We become one with God through this instantaneous transaction. At once when we submit we become His children and that bond can never be broken. God will not suddenly rip up the papers, return us to a lonely orphanage and abandon His role as our protector. He is forever the "Father to the fatherless and the protector of the widow." (Psalm 68:5). Nothing we do can change that or make Him love us less.
If you were abandoned by your earthly Father before you ever knew his name... if you never felt unconditional love from a Father who was present but emotionally absent... if you were ever abused, neglected or mistreated by your earthly Father... you are not Fatherless. You are not without a perfect Father who knows how to love flawlessly and wholeheartedly. Your Father protects you and keeps you safe. Your Father corrects you out of love for you and the desire to raise you up in the way you should go.
No matter what earthly family you were born into, you can be a child of God. The Lord God wants to be your Daddy. He longs to have you run into His arms like a young child runs to greet her Father after a long absence as you cry "Abba". The God who made you wants to cradle you and raise you. The son-ship that you and I have in Jesus Christ shapes who we are and gives us a place in this world. In Jesus Christ we claim our great and holy birthright that comes only through the spiritual birth into the family of God.
