James 1:27
New International Version (NIV)
27 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.
This verse has found its way into my life multiple times in the past couple of weeks. In my daily devotion, in a tweet, and in a book. I do not believe that is coincidence. I believe God is speaking to me through it. Actually, I know He is. Being a stay at home mom has always been my dream and that dream is coming true. They may not be biologically mine but they will be mine for however long they are entrusted to me. I knew this was what God called me to and I wanted to do it because it would please the Lord, but it never hit me that doing so was an act of worship until this week. It is my offering, or sacrifice to God. I believe that caring for orphans and widows is something EVERY Christian is called to do. Period. No, I do not believe every person is called to adopt, although, I do believe more people are called to do than actually do it. But I do believe everyone is called to do something for these people. I don't know what that is for you, but I encourage you to seek it and do it. The other thing God has brought to my attention this week is orphans in the faith. Dustin and I sit at the front of the youth section on Sundays. When I turned around me this week and looked over these teenagers that were behind me, I wanted to cry. First, I deeply love these kids. Second, I am going to miss seeing them every week when we move. But mostly, a significant number of them are orphans in the faith. They get themselves up on Sunday morning and go to church while their parents go to work, sleep, or just plain don't go to church. I am so thankful that Susan Hensley made getting my butt up and going to church mandatory. She established a strong habit that I kept up as I got older. I have heard people say "They are old enough and have to make that choice on their own." Bull. If they are under your roof make it mandatory. You will answer for how you help develop their faith. And more so, get your own butt their and show them what dedication is. But....that what just a side rant. So many of these kids are orphans in the faith. They don't have a parent showing them how to follow Christ. That breaks my heart. Life is hard enough, add not knowing Jesus intimately to that, and it just plain stinks. That is why so many of our young people are depressed and feel they aren't good enough. The thing is though, it isn't just young people. There are plenty of middle aged people in those pews who do not have parents in the faith. What are we doing to reach those "orphans." It is another reason I am thankful for small groups being started at my church. I think it gives the opportunity for so many more connections. Helps establish the family of God. Then, they might be orphans(besides having God as a father) but they have plenty or brothers and sisters walking the walk daily with them.
I also got a book this week. Choosing To See by Mary Beth Chapman. She is married to Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman. I bought it because I wanted to read her response to the death of their youngest adopted daughter. She was accidentally hit by a car her older brother was driving. Heartbreaking. That part of the book was so inspirational. I encourage each person to read it. BUT I got so much more from it on the adoption aspect. Mary Beth's statement on the first time she held her first adopted child made me even more excited to start this job. She said "In that moment, time stopped. It was like God was speaking to me directly. ' Mary Beth you thick headed woman, do you not understand now that this is the very way I see you? You are this orphan! I adopted you and you are Mine! I bought you for a price! Do you see how you love this baby? That is just a faint recollection of how much I love you! You didn't have a name, and I gave you a name. You did nothing to deserve my love, and I love you anyway. You had no hope, no future, and now you are the daughter of the King!" Tears flowed from my eyes as I read this the first time and I am fighting them back now. How powerful. I serve a God who loves me incredibly and I am seeing that love more everyday. I am so lucky that He chose to put me in an occupation where I can pass it on openly everyday. Waiting to start this job already feels like forever and I still have a month! I love how God teaches different ideals during different season of our lives and I am LOVING all the adoption/orphan stuff He is breathing on me. I am more in awe of His love everyday.
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