Scripture about orphans

It's 6:25am here in Khelm and I just finished Skyping with my beautiful bride. I think she was pleasantly suprised when I called her at 10:15pm her time. I didn't sleep well at all last night. I'm starting to think it's a combination of excitement, anxiety, and maybe the caffine in the green tea I drink at dinner? Not sure, but I may lay off the green tea tonight. We'll see!

Anyway, no new news to report. I have plenty of time to do my bible study, eat breakfast, and hang the kids laundry out before we leave at 8am.

Over the past several days, I've been looking in God's Word trying to learn more about what God has to say about orphans. Here are some of my thoughts about what God’s Word has to say about orphans and His love for them and us.

The first mention in God’s Word about orphans comes in the 2nd Book of the Bible, Exodus. After Moses came down from Mt. Sinai and presented the Israelites the Ten Commandments, he decribes the laws and even gives some case studies and examples. It is in Exodus 22 that he talks about “social responsibilities” and speaks specifically about orphans and God hearing their crys.
"Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. Exodus 22: 22-23

The next mention is in the Book of Job where Job is asking God about judgement on the men who commit evil acts.
They drive away the orphan's donkey and take the widow's ox in pledge. Job 24:3

In the Book of Jeremaih, the prophet Jeremiah tells us in a message about Edom that
“This is what the Lord Almighty says…” Leave your orphans; I will protect their lives. Your widows too can trust in me." Jeremiah 49:11

In Lamentations, (a book of poems, whose author is unknown but believed to be Jeremiah), there is a poem thought to be a “cry of relief” and the possible discription of the conditions the Jews faced in Egypt after they fled Jeruselum after it's fall.
We have become orphans and fatherless, our mothers like widows. Lamentations 5:3

Then in the Book of John, Jesus is talking to the disciples at The Last Supper and says
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18.

And finally, James tells us in his letter to Christians that
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

How awesome is it that from nearly the beginning of time here on earth, God has had a love for orphans. God tells us not to take advantage of orphans and that He will hear their crys. He then talks about the injustice to them and promises to protect and care for them. Later we are told about how the Jews felt living in a forgein land and Jesus’ promise to us in John 14:18 that He will not leave us as orphans or "fatherless" and is coming back. God’s Word finishes with a directive from James telling us to care for the orphans!

Most of us grew up being a part of a loving family with a mother and father who loved us and never abanded us, but until we accept the gift God offers us to receive Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we will all be orphans, children without a Father.

May God so graciously watch over and protect all the children in this world who are without a mother or father here on earth. Amen

Blessings <><,

David