This past Sunday, we celebrated Orphan Sunday. It’s one of our favorite days of the year. Churches and communities all over the world stop for one week to highlight this cause that’s so close to our hearts. They tell miraculous stories of orphans placed in families, and empower the church to take a stand and make a difference in the foster care community, both here in America and around the world. It’s so beautiful.
Every year we hear staggering statistics that explain the sheer magnitude of the children left orphaned all over the world. Right now it’s estimated that there are over 140 million orphans worldwide. Just in the United States there are 427,910 children in foster care. Considering these numbers is absolutely heartbreaking. Sometimes, you may even feel hopeless when you see numbers like this.
I’m sure you’ve heard people say that if just one family from every church in America stood up and welcomed a foster child into their home, there would be no more foster children left without families. It would transform the entire foster system. Again, these are powerful statistics. Incredible calls to action. But even still, the problem prevails.
After ministering to people all over the world, from the richest to the poorest, we’ve realized that there is one message that will forever be the song of our lives: the Spirit of Adoption. It doesn’t matter whether you grew up in the wealthiest family or if you grew up on the streets. If you haven’t had your eyes and heart opened to the radical, pursuing, limitless love of the Father, you may be living under what we call an Orphan Spirit.
I know what you’re thinking. “Nope, not me. I don’t have that.” Well, what we’ve learned is that even after years of learning the Father heart of God, there are still parts of our hearts that still act out of an Orphan Spirit. Just as trust is built over time, the Spirit of Adoption (the antidote to an Orphan Spirit) is something that you dive into, and then continue grow in for the rest of your life.
Resources for further learning:
https://www.amazon.com/Experiencing-Fathers-Embrace-John-Arnott/dp/0768423481
https://shop.bethel.com/products/healing-the-orphan-spirit
Bottom line: The Father’s heart is full of love for you, and nothing you do can change that. As sons and daughters, we live from his love, instead of working for his love. We love people because we’re loved, not because we need the affirmation. As children of God, we are lacking in nothing. This is the message we’ll carry for the rest of our lives. We’ll talk about it in the poorest places on earth and the richest places as well. No matter your situation, your life will be radically transformed when you encounter the Father’s heart.
If we haven’t been transformed by the love of the Father and received the Spirit of Adoption, we’ll try to solve problems because of our fear and shame. The sheer magnitude of the problem will leave us feeling powerless. When you’ve been transformed by love, you’re compelled by the Father’s peace and joy. You give because you have more than enough as a child of the King.
This is the power that will break cycles of brokenness. This is the thing that will compel a nation to be the solution to the problem of Foster Care and orphaned children. Statistics bring shame and leave you feeling overwhelmed. The Father’s heart brings freedom. All it takes is the love of a Father and a few people who know they are fully loved, and we’ll see our world transformed.
Has your life been transformed by the love of the Father? We would love to hear your story. Send us a message, or leave us a comment below! We love hearing from you!