Lesson 1 ~ June First Week
Lesson 2 - June Second Week
God’s Love and Care of Widows
Background Reading:
Deuteronomy 10:18; 1 Kings 17; Psalm 68:5; 146:9; Isaiah 10:1-4; Jeremiah 49:11; James 1:27
Devotional Reading:
1 Timothy 5:3-16
Central Verse:
“Honor widows that are widows indeed.”
1 Timothy 5:3, KJV
“Take care of any widows who has no one else to care for her.”
1 Timothy 5:3, NLT
Key Terms:
Honor– A showing of usually merited respect; to regard or treat (someone) with admiration and respect.
Practical Assistance – Help with everyday tasks, such as personal care and household chores that can help people maintain their independence and dignity.
Moral Obligation – A duty that a person feels they should do based on their own conscience rather than because of a law or contract.
Introduction:
God has always shown love and made provision for the aged women. Не especially cares for the women who served their husbands and their families and no longer have the protection of their husbands in the home. God’s heart for widows is evident throughout the scriptures, and each believer has an obligation to learn from these scriptures and to put them into practice. A widow is a woman who lost her spouse by death and has not remarried. Caring for widows is not just a moral obligation but it is also a commandment from God. The Bible provides clear instructions on how widows should be treated and supported.
Discussion:
There are several stories in the Old and New Testament concerning widows. One such story is found in 1 Kings 17. There was a widow living during this time and there was a drought in the land. Things had gotten bad, streams were drying up, food had gotten scarce, and like many other people, this widow was having a rough time. Her name was not given to the readers, she was described simply as a widow from Zarephath who had come to the end of her provision.
She was picking up sticks to make a fire to cook her last meal for her and her son. The Prophet Elijah approached and asked her for a drink of water. As she prepared to get the water, he asked her to make him a cake. It was then that she informed him that all she had was a small amount of meal, and a little oil to make a cake that she was going to share with her son. Because she had no known support, she had thought that this cake would be her last and that she and her son would eat it and die.
She willingly shared what she had with the man of God, and because of her generosity and faith in God, God miraculously provided for her and her son during the rest of the drought and famine. There should not be any widows in our congregations who are suffering lack. The Saints of the Church should make sure that their needs are being met.
The Lord has commanded that the believers honor widows who are truly widows. Paul reminded the believers that we must care for these widows and ensure that their needs are being met and that they are protected by the Church. Jesus made provision for His mother when He was dying. He knew the responsibility of the children to see to the needs of their widowed mothers.
In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus pointed out a poor widow who came to the offering table and gave two small coins into the Temple treasury. It was a very small offering, but Jesus commended her for “giving all that she had.” Compared to large donations, it may have seemed like she had not given much, but she was sincere and sacrificed to give what she had.
Many of our Pastors in our Churches use their livelihood to help grow their churches, help members, pay their dues, pay their utilities, and then die and leave their wives widowed with very little money to live on. I have seen widows struggle and become bitter toward God and the Church. It shouldn’t be like this, but it is a fact of life. Sometimes, they marry someone else and are unhappy for the remainder of their days because little provision has been made for them.
The Lord let Israel know they had a responsibility to care for these widows who had no inheritance in the book of Deuteronomy. Taking care of the widows as well as the orphans is an important part of God’s command, and it’s important that our Church put something in place to meet this need. The Church must have people in place to give love and comfort to these women who have lost their husbands because many of them find it difficult to move forward with their lives.
Jesus took time with the widow of Nain whose son had died. While she was in the midst of her grieving, Jesus had compassion for her and raised her son from the dead. Can you imagine the grief she must have felt, already without her husband and now her son? She was on her way to the cemetery, thinking that this was the end. She felt hopeless, knowing that the grave was a final resting place, and the Son of God came to comfort and support her as she faced her tremendous challenges and gave her back her son.
We have another story of a widow named Naomi. After the death of her husband, she found herself a widow in a foreign land. Then, her sorrow was compounded because her two sons also died. Deep in grief, she decided to go home, taking her daughter-in-law, Ruth, not knowing what she was going to meet. She felt that she had left home full, but now she was returning empty, sad, and depressed, but she was met with such great kindness. The providence of God was there to meet her, for God had a cousin of her husband, Boaz, to be kind to her and her daughter-in-law Ruth, who was also a widow. God blessed her widowed daughter-in-law to marry her cousin Boaz and enriched her life with a grandson who gave her life.
Conclusion:
God wants believers to reach out to the widows in their own communities with love, compassion, and practical assistance. Give them a call, check on them, stop by and take a sweet gift, take time, and make them a meal. Sometimes, it’s necessary to adopt some of these older widows who have no family and make them a part of a family. Help them to become involved with the families of the church. Give them opportunities to share their hobbies, skills, and wisdom with others. Many of them have much to share and to give, they just need someone to open the door for them.
Questions:
1. Why does God have such love and concern for widows?
2. What are some of the things that believers can do to help widows?
3. What does” Honor the widows that are widows indeed” mean? (1 Timothy 5:3)
Essential Thought:
Many times, widows have much to share;
they just need the opportunity to share.