Care for widows….
When I was married, I looked at passages in the Word as a married woman…when widowhood became my mantle, I looked at some passages very differently…especially the book of Ruth…
Then other passages stood out as well…now coming to 1 Timothy again, Paul instructs Timothy about care of widows…
There are those who are in need, with no family or care of family….there are those with family…there are young widows and there are older widows…each have different needs…
Thank YOU for your care of widows….thank YOU that you have provided a family that cares…
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the those residing among you, giving them food and clothing.
Deut.10.18
When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it.
Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time.
Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow.
When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again.
Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow.
Deut.24.19-21
God provides…
*The widow of Zaraphath…God uses the widow to provide for Elijah…
*The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha…
“Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”
She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
2Kgs.1-7
*Ruth and Naomi…became part of the lineage of Jesus…
* a defender…
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,is God in his holy dwelling.
Ps.68.5
*the persistent widow…
*the poor widow…widow’s mite…remembered for her sacrifice…
*a husband…redeemer…
“Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.
Isa.54.4-5
*Paul’s advice….
“ Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.
But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.
Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to.
So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.
Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.
1Tim.5.3-16
You are my hiding place…
Comforter…
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