There are no orphans of God

 

“There are no strangers
There are no outcasts

There are no orphans of God

So many fallen, but hallelujah

There are no orphans of God.”  Avalon

 

In twelve months between 2007 and 2008, Christopher Buckley coped with the passing of his father, William F. Buckley, father of the modern conservative movement, and his mother, Patricia Taylor Buckley, one of New York's most glamorous and colorful socialites. Christopher was their only child and their relationship was close and complicated. As he tells the story of their final year together in his book, Losing Mum and Pup, one thought particularly struck me after the loss of both. He shares the heartbreaking and disorienting feeling of becoming a 55-year-old orphan.  By Buckley’s definition, many of us are also “orphans.”
  The holidays bring back the hurt and memory of those losses. Personally, I shake my head at those who flippantly say, “you’ll get over it.” The pain may grow dull, yet it’s still there and always will be. Yet, one of the great soul medicines for the child of God is the simple biblical reality – I am a child of God. If you have been born-again, you have a Heavenly Father that you can never lose and you will never be an orphan in the family of God.
  Old Testament Jews didn’t know God as Father. God as our Father is a wonderful New Testament reality that’s only made possible because God’s Son, Jesus paid our sin debt and we’re now “adopted” into God’s forever family. As we move into the holidays, let’s walk through the rich blessings that believers have now that God is our Father. They’re some of the most encouraging truths in God’s Word.

  He’s not just my Father, He’s Daddy. The word Abba is an Aramaic word that means “Father.” It was a common term that expressed affection, confidence, and trust. Abba signifies the close, intimate relationship of a father and child, as well as the childlike trust that a young child puts in his or her “daddy.” Being an adopted child of God is the source of great hope and security. Our holy and righteous God, who created and sustains all things, who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present, gives us the privilege of calling Him “Daddy” or Papa.” What an awesome privilege! What amazing grace that God would love us so much!
  In a world of fragmented families, it brings healing. God has designed us so that a child needs a father. Yet in our broken world, many either don’t have one, or their biological one is abusive or absent. Knowing that we have God as our Father and that He will always be there and never mistreat us or walk out on us, brings healing. We are secure in the love of our Abba Father for all of eternity.
  Our Heavenly Father is always available. God never has a packed calendar. He is always there and always available at any and every moment! He’s never too busy or preoccupied. He never gets tired or sleeps. He never even takes a nap. He is constantly watching over us. Our Heavenly Father is accessible at any moment, 24/7, 365 days a year. Prayer is our direct line to God and He never puts us on hold.
  We never have to earn our Heavenly Father’s love. Perhaps you felt that you had to earn a parent’s love and respect by accomplishing great things to make them accept you or be proud of you. Our Heavenly Father is not like that. Romans 5:8 tells us that “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In other words, even when we were a mess, although we still blow it, though we will never measure up and are oblivious to Him and His love, God the Father sent His Son to die for us. It’s unconditional, sacrificial love. It’s unlike anything we will experience on this earth. God is a Father who chooses to love us and we didn’t do a thing to earn it, but mess up!
  Our Heavenly Father is always approachable. Our Heavenly Father is never in a bad mood. He is never too tired, too busy or too distracted for His children. When you’re in a relationship with His Son, Jesus, you have total access to your Father’s ear, His heart, and focused attention. Hebrews 4:16 says that we can “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 
  Our Heavenly Father will never write us off or walk out on us. If you are His child, there is not anything that you can do – nothing evil or bad enough – to make Him stop loving you. Since there was nothing you could ever do to earn your Father’s love, there is nothing you can ever do to lose it. As Romans 8:38-39 says, “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” In other words, no circumstance, seen or unseen power, person, action, or inaction on your part can separate you from God’s love. That’s powerful. It's also a promise that only our Heavenly Father has the power to fulfill.
  Every person on this earth who claims to love you and never leave you will still be separated from you (at least temporarily) through their death or yours. God’s Word promises that even in death there will be no separation from our Father’s love – ever.
  Our Heavenly Father knows everything about us and still chose to love us. We will never surprise our Heavenly Father. He knows things about us that no one else knows. He knows us intimately. To be safe and known intimately is one of our deepest needs. Sometimes we hide who we really are because of fear of rejection or because someone may lose interest in us when they discover who we really are. Yet, the Bible says that our Heavenly Father already knows it all and still loves us and always will!
  In this world, we may be orphans but when we’re part of God’s family, we have a Heavenly Father we can never lose and He will never lose us! 

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