Caring God

Louise Gevers

“Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds – his name is the LORD – and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalm 68:4-6

From the beginning of the month, we have been looking at scriptures that reveal to us who God is and the qualities He possesses. Today’s verses contain a glorious and diverse, though not exhaustive, mixture of His qualities: majesty, magnificence, power, gentleness, fairness, protector, liberator, and judge.

We realise that there is no one like God who can even come close to being all these things to so many people, on a scale of this magnitude! They give an amazing picture of how He balances everything understandingly, devotedly and effortlessly, and keeps everything in His perfect order for the good of all.

We note that the call is to sing praise to God as the people focus on Him and His virtues, perfect in every way. What a different image that is to the one that we have of the generally chaotic state of the world that has lost its focus on God. We do not see the harmony that could be created by caring, just leaders who are submitted to God. In fact, the words of Malachi 2:10 rebuke us: “Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?”

Although this scripture applies to the covenant between God and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Israelites’ forefathers, it can also be applied to our world, as God is creator and father of all mankind; the One who impartially cares about His creation enough to be their father, defender, guardian, liberator and judge.

You see God’s plan is for everyone to be cared for and to be part of His plan of salvation. He loves the world He created and doesn’t exclude Himself in achieving this. He is a loving father who is “hands-on”! He is there to care for you and provide for you and He doesn’t desert you when times get tough.

Those who have lost their earthly father and women who have lost their husbands are able to testify to God’s faithfulness, care and provision in their lives, often in astonishing ways. God is entirely trustworthy when He says: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

Throughout the Bible we see how God is there for His children, but it is in the New Testament that His role of Father is truly revealed through the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ, to the world, to save people from their sins.

Who is God?

Prayer: Our Father, I need You in my life. Thank You for who You are to me. Amen.