"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widow, is God
in his holy dwelling" Psalm 68:5.
"Do not take advantage of the widow or the ffatherless.
If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry" Exo 22:22

The heart of God in respect of the widow and the fatherless is deep and powerful in every areas of their lives. The earlier quoted verses are just two of many that expose His heart towards them. He warns people in strong terms to take care of them and do them no evil.

In respect of this article, I want us to discuss about widows only. I will discuss it from the perspective of First Timothy 5. Glory be to God always, He is not an author of confusion whatsoever. His words are explicit at anytime.

"Now she who is really a widow and left alone, trusts in God and
continues in supplications and prayers night and day." I Timothy 5:5 NKJV(New King James Version).

The word that is interpreted "who is really a widow" by New King James Version (NKJV) is interpreted "who is a widow indeed" by the original King James Version of the Holy Bible. This does not generate any controversy at all, it is a matter of saying the same thing in different words.

I want to point it out that, according to this Scripture, there are widows in two categories those who are widows indeed and those who are not widows indeed.

Therefore let us discuss those who are widows indeed. According to I Timothy 5:5

I) A real widow suffers loneliness, she is left alone to care for herself. No one in her family or her husband's family has time for her in anything. People run away from her, not as a mad woman, but as a person to avoid so, she has no one to turn to.

Ii) A real widow's hope is only in her Creator. She trusts totally in Him. She has no alternative to God. She rests in Him who can give her the desired rest. Her trust is not epileptic at all, it is continuous, it does not cease. She concentrates her heart on the Lord only.

III) A widow indeed ceaselessly presents her requests to the only one who can satisfy her with all the desires of her heart. Should God disappoint her? That is why He is a ready Defender of widows. He cannot afford to leave her uncared for. He is ever ready to help a widow indeed.

That is why He warned all and sundry,
"Do not take advantage of widows or the fatherless
If you do they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry."

This warning is more important to be heeded by God's people who know Him.

Now, if God is so passionate about widows, what must His people do? Should they ignore whom the Lord their God loves and cares for? Must they not arise and act on behalf of their God?

Every member of God's household must be readily available to help every widow indeed. Every member of Christ's Church must play significant roles in the comfort affairs of a widow indeed. The church is responsible to take proper care of every widow indeed. Each person has something to offer, starting from financial assistance to offer of tangible items, Acts 9:36, 39, 6:1. This was the acts of the saints individually and collectively in the early church. We have them as examples, so the church today must not do less.

Let me open your eyes to two things you have, your physical body to serve a widow in various capacities, washing, cleaning, praying together or alone for her. This is connected with the second, that is your time. Spending quality time with a widow will assuage her of every pain associated with loneliness. Your time together can be spent on reasoning together from the Scriptures and prayer.

One thing is sure, you have something to offer a widow, please offer it today and lend unto the Lord for greater gains. This clarion call goes to everyone who has a widow near him or her, "If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them (widows), and do not let the church be burdened that it may relieve those who are really widows." I Timothy 5:16.

This means that the church must not be burdened by neglect of widows by those who should care for them. Where a widow is not left to care for herself by her family, nuclear and extended, as well as her husband's family, there will be no reason for such a widow to take from church provisions for widows indeed. This provision will be enough for the widows indeed.

Do you know that there are certain widows who are comfortable enough to take care of other widows? Some of them live up to their responsibility while others will rather be an additional burden to the body of Christ, that the church.

This ought not to be so at all!

Take care of your widow, assist the church of Christ to take care of those under her care.
Stay blessed and prepared for the imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Author is the set man of CTFM(WORLD OUTREACH)and Presiding Pastor of Christ Restland Gospel Church.He is a Poet and author of many books. Visit his blogsites www.4thlink.wordpress.com and www.peacelink.wordpress.com for more quality contents.