Adoption: God’s Heart August 16, 2011

The theme of caring for orphans and widows is laced throughout the Bible; it is God’s heart to serve as the Father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5) and the Husband to the widow. Also, God is kind to give His children desires to love on each the widow and orphan. But an interesting perspective is held by the believer in Jesus on the theme of orphan care – we were once alienated and hostile in mind ( Colossians 1:21); orphaned and left Fatherless because we clung ever-so-tightly to the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), the prince of this world, the devil. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” Ephesians 2:4-5.

We were all orphans. According to God’s Word, Christians have been adopted into God’s family. We were once not a people, but now we are God’s people (1 Peter 2:10). We have been divinely interwoven into this life-changing joy of adoption because of God’s grace in Christ Jesus – it is personal to us, and we know it WELL.

Because of Christ’s great sacrifice on the cross to atone for our sins which were and are against the holy and righteous God, our family has felt the drawing and call to adopt a child into our family! Lord willing, there is a little boy 3 years old or younger in Ethiopia with the last name Sheridan waiting to come home to his forever family. We are very early on in this process – we begin our first homestudy interview Thursday, and the paperwork has only slowly begun. But our hearts are overjoyed at God’s kindness in knitting mine and Brandon’s hearts together about our role in orphan care. I will try and recap how God used His Word and a very helpful resource to show us His heart for orphan care soon.

Please pray that we would be a praying and Jesus-trusting family. Pray that God would provide the means to bring home our little boy. Pray for his salvation. Pray others would be so stirred toward orphan care that they too would adopt a child or children into their family for God’s glory and His renown. May the good news of Christ’s blood covering our sins and restoring our standing with God be at the forefront and backdrop of every adoption!

Justice, Fairness, and God’s Glory August 3, 2011

As of late, our little family of four has been trucking along this summer, enjoying new adventures (i.e. the beach) and celebrating life. Our Great Physician, God Almighty, was kind to spare the life of our little, now, almost 3-year-old boy after two brain surgeries a year ago; and He, two years ago, brought an earthly life-giving transplant to my husband and healed him of his disease. We celebrated last night and looked through pictures, talked about the boys’ “Ebenezers” and the physical reminders of God’s healing hand on their physical lives. How great is our God’s wisdom and provision and healing Hand.

 

I, personally, have been battling sin heavily in my own life. As relates to discipline and instruction, my anger is shown more than once a day in raising my voice. I have been brought to tears and repentance often as God reveals my sin and my need to seek His face, forgiveness, and faithfulness. So a question sprang up in my heart this morning: “Is this it? Is this who I will be until the Lord brings me home? Will I be an angry, hopeless, faithless mother and wife who mopes and doubts all the day long? Am I made like this for your glory?”

How often do I lean on my own wisdom, insight, judgement for answering tough questions? I began to despair as I pondered the answer to the question about my sinful anger. It isn’t fair that my children be brought up in a home where the mother is not proactive in giving the Gospel, sharing God’s Word, discipling in love and patience and gentleness. So, I mustn’t stop fighting! What are God’s promises?

Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” We are not left to our sin; no, we must seek God’s face to become more and more into the image of His Son.

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” We must behold Jesus and by the Spirit be changed to be more like Jesus.

1 John 5:11 “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” Life is in Christ; not in this world, not in our circumstances, not in our sin. Life is found in Jesus alone. I must stop moping and doubting in my circumstances and in my pity party. REJOICE! Jesus gives us eternal life and true life on this earth.

Psalm 25:4-5 “Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” Seek Him. Ask Him. Rely on Him. In Him are all the riches and wisdom and knowledge (Romans 11:33).

Upon pondering this question another one followed: “God, you’ve placed many children in homes where mothers, parents, grandparents are slaves to drugs, alcohol, promisquity, the world. Is this also for your glory?” Then I began to wonder about God’s fairness and His ultimate goal of creating everything – HIS GLORY! If a little girl is brought up in a home where drugs and alcohol are prized by her caregivers above her own soul, what then? How might that be for God’s glory? Oftentimes my mind wanders to questions that may never be answered on this side of eternity – But God’s Word has every answer we need for our questions – Praise the LORD. ”The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works” Psalm 145:17. He is. For His glory, may He save the souls of those who are going headlong against Him. May He spare the children’s lives and give them eternal life in Jesus Christ. God is kind to bring physical and earthly affliction because He receives glory.

 

I want to continue writing on this blog, really I do!! Maybe the Lord will prompt my heart to address different topics more often so I can write