Father of the Fatherless

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows

is God in his holy habitation. Psalm 68:5

Thursday would have been my dad's 64th birthday so it was bit of an emotional, off day for me.

The above verse kept coming to mind throughout the day as I was thinking about missing my dad, and I started to think about the kids here. Being here with these kids as I was missing my dad brought my thankfulness for him to a new level. I almost felt selfish for missing him when most of these kids here never knew what it was like to have a father, or at least not a father who cared for them. The kids who do have living fathers are most likely here because they were abused and/or unwanted by their father.

I am thankful for the years I did have my father. It’s easy to say I lost a parent at too young an age, it’s unfair (I know, life’s not fair), etc. but being here those feelings are being replaced with thankfulness. I cannot sit here and say, “it’s not fair” when I know these kids’ stories.

So, while I miss my dad, I thank God for giving me to an earthly father who wanted, loved and cared for me and I’m thankful that God has adopted me as his child and has not left me fatherless. 

 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  Ephesians 1:4-6

...to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.  Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:5-7