Being to others as God is to us

‘Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.’ Psalm 82.3

When the psalmist wrote these words he was giving us an insight into God’s heart.  The issues mentioned in them concern God and are a priority for him, so as we also care about them we can be certain that we are close to his heart and doing his will.

Perhaps it‘s the command to defend the weak that challenges most of us?  The ‘weak’ refers to those who are struggling to cope with their circumstances, and it’s highly likely that we all know of people who fall into this category – maybe even you yourself.  To defend such folk means to regard them as important, to value them, their stories and their situations, and to do whatever we can to help them.  Doing this is not only about blessing them, but also about us being obedient to God’s command and reflecting him – after all, this is how God treats us.

When you are weak, God is concerned about you and your situation.  He does not reprimand you for not being stronger, but instead seeks to draw close to you.  You may not be specifically aware of his presence with you, but perhaps you can recognise that he has brought someone else alongside you to help.

This is God’s heart, and if you can apply it to yourself and to others in their weakness, you will bring great pleasure to him.

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