One remarkable truth that is often forgotten is just how much God loves those who are widows. While society may overlook them and their needs, God does not for they are mentioned about ninety times in the Bible. With the exception of the times they are part of a historical narrative or part of instructions about their marriages in keeping with the old law, almost every reference to them has evidence of God’s love for them.
Hear the words of David. “Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name YAH, and rejoice before Him. A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation” (Psalm 68:3-5). Our God sits on His throne and sits there as a defender of widows!
Historically, widows have been the target of mistreatment by society. The Bible speaks of those who “afflict widows” (Ex. 22:22); of those who “perverts the justice due the… widow” (Deut. 27:19); …of the person who “does not good for the widow” (Job 24:21); of those “mistreated the fatherless and widows” (Ezek. 22:7); and of those who “devour widows’ houses” (Matt. 23:14). What widow is there who has not at least suffered in some of these ways? When society takes advantage of widows, God sees it, and He will not forget it even though it may be hidden from others!
Based on the fact that ten percent of the members at Palm Beach Lakes are widows, it is reasonable to assume that in every congregation there are those widows who can so easily be overlooked. What a blessed opportunity the church has to be the hands of God in helping them! I rejoice that so many of you are aware of these hurting sisters and are showing your love to them in so many ways. If God rarely mentions them in the Bible without showing His concern for them, should not each of us show our concern for these who are loved so much by God?
Every Christian relative of widows has a God given responsibility toward them greater than the responsibility of the whole church (1 Tim. 5:3-8, 16). That person who neglects providing for a widowed relative “is worse than an infidel and has denied the faith” (1 Tim. 5:8). The seriousness of our devotion to God can be measured by our attitude toward widows.
Looking for something to do? Pay attention to the widows in this church. There is no way to measure how much a simple phone call means to the lonely. God will see this for He is the Defender of Widows!