A Father to the Fatherless

A father to the fatherless ... that is my God. There I was ... a 13 year old in a revival service desperately needing a "father" in my life. My father was an alcoholic at the time and was not there in the emotional sense that I needed. The preacher explained that God wanted to be not only my savior, but a father. My hand shot up as tears poured down my face that night in the revival service. I have known Him to be my father, my friend, my healer, my deliverer, my savior and so much more. 

We are serving in Germany, but several months prior to our arrival here we were in a Sunday morning church service. Following the service, the pastor asked the guest speaker if he would pray over us. The man prayed the he looked at my husband and told him that God would give him the insight to be able to reach the German people. He said that God wanted them to know that Germany is not the father land meaning Hitler, but it is the Father's land. It wasn't until a month ago that I realized how important this was. As my son and I were walking down the main street in Kandern, Germany we came across an ordinary light pole with an extraordinarily sobering message. 

                                

The sign translates to .... "No God, No State, No Father Land." My heart broke as the words sank in and I was reminded of the prayer and promise of that Sunday morning. In essence, the author of that short declaration is saying that the people of Germany are fatherless, unprotected and forgotten. In six short months, we have been told on two different occasions that God and church are for the old people here in Germany. The first was a young couple in their early thirties, the second was a lady in her fifties. God is wanting to wrap his arms around the people here in Germany and show them the Fathers love. He wants to do that through His people ... through me. 

Isn't it a privilege to share the love of God and to see hope in the faces of people without hope? We are blessed to be on foreign soil and I count it all joy! Let us never forget the reason we're here ... never forget the passion we once felt ... never forget the fatherless desperately needing a father. 

⁴ Sing praises to God and to his name!
    Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.
His name is the Lord—
    rejoice in his presence!

⁵ Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
    this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
⁶ God places the lonely in families;
    he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.

Psalm 68:4-6

How are you doing in your part of the world? Are the people receptive?