Psalm 68:5 “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.”
If you have ever been to Grand Canyon and tried to photograph it, you know that is almost impossible to do! The Canyon defies being boxed in by the frame of your little camera. It is hard enough trying to comprehend the Canyon, but it is impossible to totally comprehend it with just one snapshot! I think of trying to capture the Grand Canyon in a picture when I think of trying to frame a God who defies any boundaries. He is so much greater and larger than any frame we could put on Him! However, the Bible does give us a snapshot of God in Psalm 68:5.
Verse 5 says, “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.” God is whatever you lack. I do not know what you lack or need this morning, but God is and will be whatever you need. He will provide what you lack. Now, God does not exist merely to make you and I happy; however, He is pictured here as a Father. A man can do without a lot of things, but there are few disadvantages in life greater than being fatherless.
Bill Rice, my grandfather, lost both of his parents by the time he was eighteen years old. Much of the Bill Rice Ranch was shaped by the fact that my grandfather was without father or mother for some time. We used to have a banner hanging in the John R. Rice Auditorium which quoted the words of the Lord Jesus when he said, “The blind receive their sight . . . the deaf hear . . . and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” (Matthew 11:5) Part of the reason for that particular verse, of course, was our heartbeat for the Deaf; another part was because of his own upbringing-poor and without a father or mother.
I cannot think of a greater picture of God’s nature to provide than that of a Father. This verse mentions “a father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows.” I am reminded of Luke 18, where Jesus told the story about the widow who came to the unjust judge to ask for help. The widow came to the person who had everything she lacked-power, position, and pull with people. She repeatedly came back to him until he finally gave her what she needed.
How do you view God? Do you feel like you must pester Him until He finally helps you, even though He doesn’t want to? God is not an unjust judge; He is the righteous Judge of the universe. And more than that, He is a Father. It is His nature to provide, and there is no greater picture of God’s nature than as “a father of the fatherless.”
What this all means is that there is no greater tragedy than living like an orphan when you have a Father in heaven. God stands ready to provide as a Father, just like He wanted to provide for His people in the wilderness (verse 6). God was ready and able, but they stopped short of Canaan because they stopped short of living in light of who God was for them-their Father. How tragic would it be for you to live like an orphan today when your Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills!
Is He your Father? If so, ask for what you need today!
Prayer Requests:
1. Evangelists Wil Rice and Tim Thompson in the Philippines with Missionary Bob Himes and others (Jan. 5-18)
2. Revival services tonight in Floral City, FL