Category: orphans

The Servolution Begins with Compassion Sunday

Have you ever felt like God was literally standing two feet in front of you, jumping up and down, hollering at you trying to get a message through? Yeah. So that’s what I feel like. This story of God opening my eyes and heart to the plight of the orphans and poverty stricken children of the world continues.

Last week I wrote a bit about it, and about how we have started a new Life group and ministry focused on adoption, fostering, and defending the cause of the orphan. The group is called 1:17, from the verse Isaiah 1:17 which says

Learn to do right. Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Mike with a Compassion packet

We are reading the book Fields of the Fatherless by Tom Davis. Fantastic, awesome book. I am also concurrently reading Radical, by David Platt. Same premise really in both books. Life, and most especially a life of faith in Jesus, is not meant to be lived in pursuit of happiness or comfort. Real fulfillment and really following Jesus is about living out compassion for others.

So anyway on Thursday Mike and I went to a concert in Houston that I bought tickets to more than a month ago.  The headlining band was Tenth Avenue North and also performing were Addison Road and Matt Maher. I love the music of all three performers. In fact, it was during the AWAKE series last year when our worship pastor sang Hold My Heart by Tenth Avenue North that I really got it, and my heart broke. During that song they showed statistics on human sex trafficking. Did you know that the number one city in the US for sex trafficking is Houston? Yeah, it’s startling.

Ok back to the concert. So Matt Maher started off with some incredible songs like one of my favorites, Your Grace is Enough. He sang his hit Hold Us Together and then broke into Bob Marley’s No Woman No Cry, which had me smiling. They are songs of hope during tough economic times for our country.

Matt Maher singing Hold us Together

Then two of the guys from Tenth Avenue North came out and talked about human slavery and sex trafficking, and how Compassion International helps prevent children from ending up in that life. Then Addison Road performed, closing out with their hit Hope Now. Then they showed an amazing video of the testimony of several adults whose lives were radically changed by Compassion International.  These were people who really were rescued, physically and spiritually by Jesus. Then Mike from Tenth Avenue North came out and shared the message that has affected me the most this year…that we have been rescued by poverty and even spiritual death by Jesus Christ. I was in the same hopeless, helpless situation as these kids without Him. So why shouldn’t we, why wouldn’t we want to show our gratitude by trying to save others from these desperate situations? I’m so glad we made the decision last May to sponsor our daughter in Kenya, Mbeyu.

Addison Road singing Hope Now

Then to my complete surprise, I got to church this morning and discovered we were starting a new series called Servolution. Also to my surprise it is Compassion Sunday! We saw a video on Compassion International and heard a presentation from a woman at our church about the work of Compassion. When I walked out after the service I saw a table full of sponsor packets and several people with their checkbooks open. Praise the Lord for that.

So I can’t help but wonder what more God wants me to do. We already sponsor a child. We have opened our house to this new ministry. We are reading and praying. But I know He’s asking for more, I know He is.  I’m sure I’ll figure it out soon.

Top Ten Bible Verses Regarding Orphans

Top Ten {Tuesday} I wrote this weekend about my heart for orphans. I believe this is where God’s heart lies, as reflected in the following scriptures…plus many more not listed here.

1. James 1:27

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

2. Psalm 68:5

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.

3. Isaiah 1:17

Try looking at this after a Big Mac ad...

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

4. Deuteronomy 10:18

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.

5. Deuteronomy 24:19

When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

6. Psalm 27:10

For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.

7. Exodus 22:22-24

You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

8. Psalm 82:3

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.

9. Psalm 146:9

The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10. Hosea 14:3 In you the orphan finds mercy.

Bonus! Jeremiah 22:3

Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.