“Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah 1:17b
I have read in the Bible many times that we should care for the widow. Many verses that I have focused on throughout the years referred to taking care of the widow, praying for the widow, or, as in the verse above, pleading for the case of the widow. Instead, I focused on the fatherless and the oppressed. I sought justice through supporting human trafficking awareness.
A while back, one of my classmates died. He was young in my consideration. He left an even younger widow. I was heartbroken because he died after a long health struggle. He was in his mid-60s. Too young to die.
As time went on, I started realizing that my age group had gone from thinking of retiring to losing their spouse. My heart ached for the women who were losing their husbands, some unexpected and others after fighting a long battle with heart problems or cancer.
What becomes of these women? They are suddenly thrown into a different life. They have many decisions to make. Do I sell the house? When do I remove his clothing from our closet? And if they weren’t in charge of the finances, do I have enough money to pay the bills and live throughout the rest of my retirement?
What can I do?
I am a praying woman. I have kept lists of people to pray for during my prayer time throughout my life. At other times, I have thought about what was happening in my life and the life of others that I know and prayed accordingly.
Lately, I have been praying for the widows. Not necessarily the women that have been widows for the last 10 or 20 years. These widows were my classmates or married to a classmate or a few years younger than me. Even a few years older. I have a list that continues to grow.
This is my list:
- Joyce
- Janae
- Betty
- Shelly
- Ranetta
What should I pray for widows?
I’m not privy to the intimate details of these women’s lives. But, I do know that they are Christians like me. Unfortunately, I didn’t attend their spouse’s funeral. Some of them were far away, and some were private. Yet I know they have needs that only God can supply.
So I pray for them in the decisions they need to make. I pray for them in the loneliness that they may be feeling. I pray God will be with them in their choices. And I pray God will bless them.
What if you are a widow?
Then know that you understand so much more than someone like me. You have a better grasp of the needs and concerns of other widows. I pray you will use that knowledge to help other widows if you are at the place in your life that you can. If not, pray for others and also for yourself. It is not selfish to pray for yourself when you are in need. God wants to hear your prayers so that He can answer them.
My list will grow
It is with sadness I will continue to add to this list. When do I stop praying for someone? I don’t know yet. But, I have been compelled to pray for the widows. It was something I hadn’t thought about until I realized that number 3 on my list became a widow.
I hope to encourage my readers to make a list of people you plan to add to your prayers. Then, pray for them daily, or at least weekly. It can be individuals who are struggling. Or families that have lost a child. Maybe widows. Or even all the people of one country, like Ukraine.
For whom will you be praying? Let me know in the section below.
