Todays devotional taken from my favorite book "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young
Waiting, Trusting and Hoping are intricately connected, like golden strands interwoven to form a strong chain. Trusting is the central strand, because it is a response from My children that I desire the most. Waiting and hoping embellish the central strand and strengthen the chain that connects you to Me. Waiting for Me to work, with your eyes on Me, is evidence that you really do trust Me. If you mouth the words "I trust You" while anxiously trying to make things go your way, your words ring hollow. Hoping is future-directed, connecting you to your inheritence in heaven. However, the benefits of hope fall fully on you in the present.
Because you are Mine, you don't just pass time in your waiting. You can wait expectantly, in hopeful trust. Keep your "antennae" out to pick up even the faintest glimmer of My-presence. John 14:1,Psalm 27:14, Hebrews 6:18-20
This devotional speaks to my heart mostly due to all the uncertain changes that may or may not happen with Ethiopia and adoption. It seems everyone has an opinion right now. There are posts on blogs encouraging PAP's (prospective adoptive parents) to sign petitions which leads to discussions saying that PAP's are more concerned about becoming parents to a child versus the needs of the children. There are posts on blogs saying that adoption requests for healthy young as possible girls has led to the corruption because there is a supply and demand, there are supporters of Ethiopia doing whatever it needs to do even if that means a HUGE slowdown or shutdown of the Ethiopian Adoption Program. All the news pertaining to this is a LOT to digest and frankly it is overwhelming. Am I scared for what this could mean for our family? Yes, however fear comes from the enemy not God. I refuse to give fear a foothold over something that is out of my control. I am going to trust God because bottome line He is in control. Thy will be done. My hope is in you alone Lord.
"With man this is impossible, but not with God;all things are possible with God." Mark 10:27 I pray for grace to handle however this plays out. I pray for strength for this journey. Discernment while we wait. Protection. His heart is for the orphan and the widow. He says to us "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" James 1:27 So if we are called to look after the orphan and widow well than it is probably safe to say that He loves them even more. We love because He first loved us. Lets watch with wonder and awe how God moves these mountains.
I want to end this with saying it was exhausting emotionally and financially when we waited 3 years for a referal for our daughter from China. However we also were in it for the long haul. God blessed those 3 years of waiting by doing some amazing healing in our lives that in the beginning only He could have known we would need. So I believe that if we are called to wait again upon the Lords timing that it won't be without purpose. One of the reasons I ask for grace is because in my flesh I long for our daughter, a sibling for Emily and the unknown and waiting is depressing. I need God and only He can provide me refuge and the rest that I will need to continue on with this journey.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." James 1:5-6
I am praying for Ethiopia, the children, families that have been referred their children and are caught waiting to bring them home, and for famlies with hearts that are hurting while they wait for referral, please join me in lifting this all up to the Lord. We need each other. Prayer is powerful. I love this acronym PUSH = pray until something happens!
Blessings to each one of you!
Connie
