Psalm 82:3 (GW)
Defend weak people and orphans. Protect the rights of the oppressed and
the poor.
Saturday when Joe and I were out and about we saw several
hawks circling overhead. One of the
hawks was being attacked by a pair of small but determined birds. I told Joe that they were probably protecting
their nest. The hawk was a great deal
bigger than the birds but they were not scared away. They dove at the hawk, pecking at its wings.
In the animal world at least the instinct to protect the young is very
strong. It’s something humankind seems
to have lost. Babies are abandoned; children are abused by their own relatives,
or kidnapped by strangers. The teenage sex trade in Atlanta is flourishing. Those
of us who love children grieve over the harm that comes to them; harm they
don’t deserve. We may not be able to perfectly protect and defend every child
but each of us can do something, even if it is just to pray. Let’s begin the week praising God for
children who are blessed with safe, loving homes and praying for places like
the United Methodist Children’s Home and Murphy Harpst who care for damaged
ones.
Father
God, we know you love the little ones and instruct us to care for the
vulnerable of all ages. Thank you for
helping parents raise their children in homes filled with love and thank you
for the institutions who take care of the orphans and those who have been
removed from abusive situations. Help us
to notice the children around us and to offer smiles and encouragement. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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