Galatians 5:22-23
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
There are 350 million children worldwide who are considered orphaned at some level. This is roughly the equivalent of the population of the United States. That statistic may seem fairly overwhelming, but don’t stop there. We worship a God who sees these kids and sees His church and wants us to connect the dots. Jesus didn’t just die for the endgame; He died for right now, too. He died for their right now.
The circumstances some children face may be unfair, and at times “unfair” can be a gross understatement about their sufferings, but God wants the abundant life for them, too. We aren’t talking about riches and fame, but rather the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are far more important, although they are intangible traits.
So get down on those knees and raise the Modern Orphan up! Some children have seen up close and personally what sin has done to a broken world. They do not have Momma or Daddy here on earth standing in the gap for them, but God gave them you!
God sees the hard things that they have faced. He sees you as you wonder how to help and feel a little insignificant to impart eternal change into a big situation. But God promises an abundant life in John 10:10. He purposed every child here on earth, and you have the ability to pray for their needs!
Pray specifically for peace. Pray now for resources and support for their needs. Pray that the needles in adults’ hearts are moved towards fostering, adopting, or supporting those who do. Pray Jeremiah 29:11 over these children. And as you pray God’s Word back to Him, know that you are truly imparting an eternal difference into the lives of children who need it very much.
