So it is Wednesday evening. The heat of the day was quenched by an afternoon rain that has cooled down this North Carolina home. Adam is discharged! Yes, that is right, he is out of the hospital and back at our home in Chapel Hill;) He is doing quite well, swinging happily in his swing, and out for the night. We have a full day of appointments tomorrow starting late morning. We will follow up with most of the specialists Adam has seen thus far as a final followup, this time around.
You know, a lot of times, people tend to exalt Raj and I.
As if we are wonderful, heroic, incredible.
We get a lot of credit and attention.
And though it is so encouraging and refreshing and precious to have so much encouragement, at times, when I am reminded of my incredible depravity and bad attitude, I just want Him to be seen in those moments.
For we did not rescue Adam.
Jesus did.
We are simply His vessels, His “hands and feet”, walking it out in this temporary life.
And it is hard at times.
And it requires sacrifice each day.
But there is never a lack of Him.
There is never a lack of His grace.
For His mercies are new every morning.
He talks of radical love that would leave 99 safe, easy sheep…to go after the 1 who strayed off and may be in dangerous territory.
He stopped stones from flying at a woman everyone looked at and saw uncleanliness.
He spoke peace and love to them.
How?
Through pointing them inwards, to their own uncleanliness.
And pointing them heavenwards, to Him.
He loved the woman others thought unlovable.
He healed on days others deemed unlawful…
For He was consumed with the Love of His Father.
Man’s regulations and opinions did not phase Him.
He was always concerned with the heart of the Father.
Am I?
Am I always consumed with the heart of my Abba Father?
Firstly, do I receive His love for me?
That He considers me spotless, clean, and redeemed, because of the blood of His Son?
Then, do I look at others and see what they could be in Him?
Or am I so concerned with myself and others and what they think that His glory becomes secondary to mine?
At times, I must admit I do.
Think more of myself than Him
And, yes, grace upholds me and covers those moments.
But it is there.
That root of self exaltation. And that longing for it.
That is why I so long to have eyes constantly fixed on Him and not me.
Since I exited my mother’s womb…first thought is Jessica.
That is just how we are wired.
It feels great to be praised.
But what is praise if it is not directed to Love Eternal and Life Eternal?
The root of any good in me.
Is Him.
“In Him we live and move and have our being”
All flesh…yes, even ours…is grass of the field.
It is here today…gone tomorrow.
So I long to only see praise and adoration go to Him.
Not to me.
For like it says, “here today” and “gone tomorrow”
But He?
He remains
Alpha…Beginning
Omega…End.
He is both.
Alpha and Omega.
He saved Adam.
He upholds Adam daily.
He will maintain Adam.
He deserves glory, honor, and praise.
Being in the states this season has brought me to hear many stories.
Stories that have wrecked my heart.
More testimonies of how He has moved in the hearts of His children and how He has rescued that ONE.
Stories that are much more unheard of than Adam’s.
But all the more testify to His hand of redemption and adoption.
I met a precious woman in the waiting room during Adam’s first surgery (November).
She shared with me of her time in rural Africa in her mid twenties.
She was single and serving for a year.
She met one little girl.
She loved her and felt His love compel her to action.
The little girl was orphaned and abandoned.
She was cast out of the community, at least emotionally.
She did not really exist to them.
Some called her “demon possessed” and no one took effort to care for her.
But my new friend was moved to action, by Love Eternal.
She looked for homes, but found none.
So in what only Divinity could orchestrate, the little girl was given to her.
Logistics were wrestled with…and she moved back to America with a new addition to her family.
Uncertain of the future.
But He knew.
Uncertain of her new daughter’s past.
But He knew.
Uncertain of how it may affect her future.
But He had it all laid out….a beautiful tapestry that displayed His glory.
It has been a long and hard road.
13 years thus far.
A road that includes diagnoses that indicate the daughter will never fully attach or receive love from her mom.
Her mom that sacrificed everything for her daughter.
No matter the depth of love mom may show daughter, daughter cannot receive it.
Due to damage and neglect and loss in her first few, critical years.
But Love Eternal still beats on.
Abba Father is the one who seeks out the shameful things and the things “that are not” and makes them beautiful.
He is in the business of redeeming.
Though it may look different to our idea of redemption.
He continues His scandalous and beautiful work.
And He paints the picture of His love for us, mankind, thru stories like that one.
Of all that He sacrificed to adopt and redeem His children, despite the lack of love in return.
That is scandalous.
And this new friend of ours is living it out, day by day, in territory unknown to many.
Another story.
A dear doctor at UNC introduced himself to us and mentioned his interest in Adam as he was adopted.
He then shared the story of one of his daughters.
Born into a hospital in the US.
Arranged for adoption before birth.
Then she was born with multiple facial defects.
And the pre-arranged family did not want her anymore.
Neither did 3 other families in line.
Somehow, his wife and him were approached.
Their youngest child was already a young adult.
Adoption of an infant was far from their minds.
But, again, Love Eternal.
Calvary Love intervened.
Doctor told us he went home that night and was reminded of Romans 7
How God, in His great love, set all aside in order to love us and redeem us.
Was he, doctor, to call Himself a child of this great God and a receiver of this precious atonement, yet not extend it outwards on earth?
So, they adopted her.
19 years have passed and she is a beautiful college student who has known the love of an eternal Father thru the love of an earthly mother and father.
That is a tapestry woven by Him.
Once abandoned and without hope.
Then redeemed, loved, and a daughter!
That glory does not go to man.
That glory goes to the Giver of all good things.
Who, david writes, “places the lonely in families”.
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| photo by matt miller |
One more story.
One that is still in just the beginning stages.
A young woman living in East Africa…planning to live there long term.
Comes across a little girl sitting on a street side.
Unable to walk or speak at a few years old.
Everyone says their own opinion of her diagnosis.
Strokes, disabled, too handicapped, never will walk.
She is taken in.
Named a beautiful name.
Loved.
And adopted.
Defying all local authorities who say it is foolish.
Why adopt this child.
There is no meaning to her life.
But this woman.
She had been wrecked by Love Divine.
She had seen Calvary’s Blood wash her clean.
And make her a daughter, who was once an orphan.
Who was once an outcast without a hope.
And that Eternal Love compelled her.
Adoption secured.
Moved back to the states.
Life she imagined in Uganda…perhaps impacting many…now led her back to the West…for one.
FOR ONE.
Life she imagined in Uganda…perhaps impacting many…now led her back to the West…for one.
FOR ONE.
Precious man proposed and now new daughter has new mom and new dad.
And a field of medicine advanced and supplying her with all that she needs.
It is hard and new diagnoses are made.
Some that seem to say it is only going to get worse.
But this little one, she radiates love and affection.
She has been rescued.
Not by man.
But by Jesus.
And He is in the business of making all things new.
And He is to be praised for this precious life.
Who has been placed in a family who loves her.
Isn’t it just like me, though, to want to label man the hero?
For I did it with my salvation.
For so many years.
I thought I had to save myself.
Through my actions, my deeds, my obedience, my attempt at goodness.
Despite the Truth that speaks “it is by grace you have been saved, thru faith, not by works, so NO ONE CAN BOAST”
Yet I boasted.
And I hoped in myself.
For I thought I was the end all be all.
I could redeem my broken self.
I could make meaning to my life.
I could save.
But when I faltered….self hatred and pity set in.
For I always faltered.
But He.
But He came down.
And rescued.
He spoke Truth to my deaf ears and unstopped them to hear His Truth.
His Gospel.
That He loved me and accepted me.
And that He ALONE could save me.
To rest and be loved by Him.
He deserves all glory and honor and praise.
I cannot and deserve glory not.
He does.
He is to be glorified.
And because of His selfless love, in Him, we are then glorified.
But let us not lose sight.
He is the One who places the lonely in families.
He is the Father to the fatherless.
He makes beauty from ashes.
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| photo by emi heath |
And we?
We simply walk it out in this flesh and blood.
For a few momentary years until death quenches are earthly bodies.
And eternity begins.
I pray I can walk out these momentary days with my eyes on Him and my life simply a testimony to Him.
He is beautiful.
He is making beautiful things out of the dust.
He is making beautiful things out of us.
He takes the foolish things of the world.
To what?
To shame the wise.
How is He making things beautiful around you?
Who is He making beautiful around you?
He is surely at work.
Let us pause and reflect on His work.
Especially in this Holy Week.
That reflects the ultimate redemption and making of things right.
That which shows the great extent He had to go.
Set your eyes on Him this week.
Do not make majestic the ones on this earth who are simply reflections of Him.
Feast your eyes on Heavenly Glory.
On Divine Love.
On Calvary.
*** You can read the 3rd story more here at the mother’s blog: http://welcomeblessings.wordpress.com/about/
And this precious video testifies to the first few months of her life. http://vimeo.com/24158680
*** You can read the 3rd story more here at the mother’s blog: http://welcomeblessings.wordpress.com/about/
And this precious video testifies to the first few months of her life. http://vimeo.com/24158680
Perfection is achieved,what a marvelous description.I like it very much and the stanza about baby swing is awesome.Kids are always great and their activities also.
Thank you fOr this… Your words.. Your heart.. Your wisdom. Thank you for making me fall at my Saviour's feet as I forget to do so often. Your words are so true. So easily we praise man when it is all His mighty works. This was so needed. But I do still admire you.. Your spirit and faith! I hope mine can be as strong some day. I love reading your thoughts! So encouraging. Such great news about Adam! Love and blessings to the 4 of you! 🙂
To Him be the glory … always! Amen!