THE HEAVENLY FATHER NEVER INTENDED THE CHURCH TO BE FATHERLESS

“A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.”—Psalm 68:5-6

 

Today in prison systems all over America the statistics are staggering as to the number of offenders who are from fatherless homes.  In the juvenile system alone, seventy to eight-five percent of the offenders and men in prison grew up with either absent or abusive fathers.  Over seventy percent of high school dropouts, sixty-three percent of suicides and seventy-five percent of adolescents at drug and alcohol abuse centers come from fatherless homes.  The vast majority of gang members are made up of men without fathers who have joined for protection and a sense of family. 

While these statistics are true, it is still difficult for our minds to conceive that our society has disintegrated to this degree.   For those of us who grew up in a generation where most everyone had fathers, these statistics are hard to believe; yet, we must if we are to change the course of a fatherless generation regardless of our culture or nationality. 

 

The Church has a history of changing the course of nations and generations.  Jesus came to earth to demonstrate the heart of our Heavenly Father.  He personally trained the first disciples who went about training others.  One of the major responsibilities of the Church is to make disciples.  In essence, the Church walks along side of a new believer until that person is capable of training others to be like the Heavenly Father.  The new converts are not left as orphans, and they soon learn what it is like to have a Heavenly Father who loves them and is personally interested in them. 

 

After all, Jesus built the Church through faithful and intentional relationships.  It is what is called the “Great Commission” (Matthew 28:18-20).  In Jesus’ public ministry, He preached and taught and healed, but He spent most of His time gathering the twelve disciples around Him and pouring His life into them.  So it is an implicit challenge that we are called to do the same.  For us to reach this generation, we must go to them and seek them out, just as Christ seeks us out.  Today reach out to the next generation and demonstrate the Father’s love to them. 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You are my Heavenly Father, and with Your help and strength I can reach out to the next generation and make a difference in their life, in Jesus Name. Amen.