Orphans. They have always been on the Lord’s heart. He has had them on our family’s heart for many years; we adopted three children from Guatemala who are no longer orphans. When I sit at the piano and worship, I see them; when I walk and pray, I see them. The topic of orphans has begun to flash like a neon sign before the Body of Christ; everything from the Steven Curtis Chapman family tragedy to Lifelight Festival seminars on how communities and churches can come together to be the hands and feet of the Lord through sponsorship and adoption, to the orphan spirit that has been the topic of a number of conferences.

Whether orphaned by an orphan heart, through an orphan spirit, or orphaned in the natural, God’s eyes and heart are on every single one. He’s wanting to bring healing and deliverance to those who carry an orphan heart (if you’ve never heard this term before check out Shiloh Ministries/Jack Frost, “From Orphans to Sons and Daughters” or “From Slavery to Sonship.” ), and salvation to those who do not yet know Him as Savior and Lord. Our Heavenly Father is wanting His love, compassion, mercy and provision to be tangibly manifested for every precious child who has no one to care for him/her; for every child who has no one to call Daddy, Mommy, sister or brother.

The orphan heart should have no place in the life of a believer (please check the printout at Shiloh Ministries on this topic), and it is foundationally critical that the Church walk in revelation and understanding of the identity Jesus Christ purchased on our behalf. The spiritual orphans of the world so desperately need to know Him and be adopted into His family (run errands, go shopping, go to work, go to school, or read/watch anything media and you’ll see this need manifest everywhere: the harvest is plentiful (Matthew 9:37). The Lord is seeking people who are in pursuit of intimacy with Him and maturity in Him, empowering His love in action.

According to a recent interview with Steven Curtis Chapman (CNN), if 7% of the 2 billion Christians in the world would be the hands and feet of Jesus for just one of the 143 million orphans worldwide, there would be no more orphans. There are no orphans in Heaven. If His Kingdom is to come and His will is to be done on Earth as He instructed us to pray, then isn’t it time that we (His children; His sons and daughters; the kingdom and priests He has made us to be (Rev. 1:6,5:10); His Bride) rise up and bring His heart and His will to manifest on earth – no more orphans – just as it is in Heaven?

Matthew 25:35, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me.”