I am continuing last week’s pondering based upon the words of this song.
[Note: Please pardon the length of today's post, I hope you will stick with me. It is something that has been on my heart for weeks; really months.]
Gratitude ~ Nicole Nordeman
Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger’s view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You’ll provide in other ways
And if that’s the case . . .We’ll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread
How do we handle that? We ask God to provide for us and yet, maybe His provision isn’t what we expect? Why do we think that we deserve big houses and banquets, so to speak on our tables, yet, half the world is grateful for a simple meal of bread and a roof over their heads.
We have been asked over and over these past few weeks…how do we expect to care for another child when work is thin, the housing market isn’t good and we can’t sell, when financially it makes no sense? What if God doesn’t provide in the way we think He should?
Yet, as I think about God’s provision.
His plans. His purposes. His heart.
I KNOW His heart breaks for the children that are “thrown by the way side”*. The children not wanted, and I’m not just talking about those literally by the wayside. I’m also talking about those who are not even asked for, or prayed for anymore because of various reasons our culture has given as excuses for not having more than the 1.5 children we are told we should only have.
God sees children as blessings, precious gifts. And most people would agree with that statement, because Scripture says so, but do they agree to a point of saying, what if…
What if I have to ask and trust God to provide for my children’s basic bread and a roof over their heads?
What if I have to live somewhere “less desirable” to raise another child for the Kingdom?
What if tomorrow I am faced with not having a house to live in? What if?
Do we trust in His heart? Do we trust in His will?
What is His will? That is the question that comes next? “How can you be sure that this is His will and not just something you are trying to make happen?”
What is God’s will? If we turn to His Word there are some things we all know are His will…for example, to love Him with all our hearts. To love our neighbors as ourselves. Anyone question differently? Is that part of God’s will? YES!
What about…taking care of orphans and widows? Is that God’s will? Well, now, I may just have stepped on a few toes with that one. Is God’s heart concerned about the widows and the orphans? If it is, then the question is what are we to DO about it?
Say, “no”, because we might have to move into a tiny apartment? Say, “no”, because work is thin? Say, “no”, because there already are mouths to feed? Say, “no”, because there are more issues to deal with when there are more children/widows in the home?
I guess my question is…what if He provides differently? What if He asks for a leap of faith that no one else agrees with or even sees as valuable? What if His provision looks different…
…like a starry night sky as a roof over your head?
What if His provision isn’t the bread you asked for, but something else?
This is getting lengthy and for that I am sorry, but IF you are still with me, would you hang in a little longer? This is eventually going to get to a list.
You know, walking the path of adoption has change my perspective greatly on how God works in one’s life.
God is sovereign, most everyone reading this website, agrees with that.
God is sovereign.
If we believe that…then why…
Why is it that we think we have so much control over what happens in our lives? How is it then, that we take more credit for the decisions that we make? Why is it when an orphan or a widow is presented to us, our automatic response is…
“I can’t feed another one.” “I don’t have enough room.” “I might not be able to provide for them.” It boils down usually to the main point…“I can’t afford more children.”
Why? Why is that the first thing we think? Why, when God’s Word, over and over clearly says that children are a blessing.
Why? When in light of eternity, what better investment could we make, a child for HIS KINGDOM? Oh, I know, we can minister to other people’s children…I won’t go down that road today…
Children = God’s heart…Do you know how many are waiting…I mean WAITING children there are in the U.S. alone? Waiting for what you might ask? Waiting for a family to love them and care for them.
There are over 160,000.WAITING!
And that’s not including the rest of the world, which we all know there is an epidemic in some parts of the world for waiting children.
Why wouldn’t I step out in faith and trust God to care for any children He brings into my home? Why would I miss out on yet another blessing from God that has ETERNAL value?
Let’s get personal? Why won’t you? Do you feel you have too many? Do you feel you don’t have enough money? Are you aware, and I’m not talking Third World here, that most of the developed countries of the world live in an average of 800 square feet…with children? If you have 1900 square feet of roof over your head, how many children realistically could you house? 4? 6? How about 8? I KNOW! Crazy thought, 8 children!!!! What in the world am I thinking?
But what if God’s perspective was different? What if His perspective was this…you “choose” to have only 2 and He wants 8 for you…If you knew that He wanted you to have 8 would you say, “yes”? Would you need to live a little more on the edge of faith in His provision for daily bread for those 8? Would you flat out say, “no”? How do you know?
James speaks of true religion…widows and orphans…we think in terms of Sunday Schools, Youth Ministries, Seniors Studies…how does that truly meet their needs? Don’t get me wrong, not saying those are bad…but is that all we are to do? It is the “safe” thing to do. I know, because I have done that for years, most people do that.
What if His plan is for those widows and orphans to be living with a family that loves and cares for them rather than being set aside in the system? Why do we rely on the system to take care of them anyway? Isn’t that our job as Christians? Sorry, rabbit trail.
What would you do?
A woman comes to you asking you to love and parent her child…which she 3 times was going to abort, but “something” stopped her each time she sat outside the clinic. What would you do?
Say, “you can’t because money is tight?” Say, “you can’t because you have your 1.5 children already?” Say, “no”?
Would you take the chance of walking away from God’s blessing? Would you say “no” to something that God clearly places value on?
Life?
Would you, could you, turn a child away, because it “doesn’t make sense” according to the standards that our culture has set up? Not God’s standard here, society’s standards.
Really, honestly? What would you do?
Strange twist, I’m sorry. But this is where our family is right at this moment.
Gratitude…seeing things from an eternal perspective…
seeing the beauty in the ugly.
That is what the words to this song are about. That is the point of this list. That is what brings joy, trust, faith and truly eternal sight.
This week’s list is all about Family
311. Family…God’s growing ground for faith
312. Family…God’s plan from the beginning of time.
313. Family…God’s provision for love and caring
314. Family…God’s gift to us…the good, the bad and the ugly…the BLESSING!
315. Family…God’s sanctification process
316. Family…shares in the moments of joy
317. Family…seeking to serve Him
318. Family…sticks with you in times of trouble
319. Family…ones you love and dislike all at the same time. *smile*
320. Family…loves you no matter what
321. Family…a view of His heart
322. Family…that loves us, cares for us and prays for us, even if they don’t agree with us.
323. Family…the ones God has ordained to be “yours”
Yes, if God ordains families…why do we really think we are in control, even through adoption, of which ones He brings or doesn’t bring to us?
Thank you for hanging in there with me. This probably should have been a different post, but like I said, it has been on my heart for months now and I have just now, had the courage to write it.
The perspective He is giving me is...wow…!
* I need to add an important note that not all children up for adoption are “thrown by the wayside”. Many birthmoms love their babies, which is why they don’t chose abortion and do chose adoption. Please do not misunderstand that statement. I am forever grateful for the love that Little Miss’ birthmom HAS for her.
This is Wow! Yeah. Thank you so much for sharing your heart. I am right here with you sister. Making the choice to allow God to decide: whether through adoption or biological children is a big leap of faith. But He catches us. Holds us tight. We have four children and I often say…who am I to say no to one of these He has already given. Who am I to say no to one He wants to add.
That we would value life…old and young, ours and theirs, with an open steadfast heart. That we would be willing to live with less…to give more abundantly. To live more abundantly. Learning to live simply and openly before Him.
This is so good.
Thank you for sharing your heart {and soap box}.
Blessings.
I’d add age in there as a “just say no” factor. Are we ever too old? I know of foster parents in their early 70’s who are wonderful and take babies and toddlers! I have seen elderly folks in nursing homes taken to NICU’s and rocking drug babies.
What CAN you do? Most of it boils down to self. Money, time, sacrifice (eating beans and rice, living in a smaller house, buying clothes at the thrift store, accepting help from other believers who are surely blessed by it……), taking two old cars everywhere instead of one nice one, looking a bit different in family make up by size and color, being thought of as “grandma” when you are mommy………….But you are truly right on.
The fact is, that raising children to adulthood for God’s glory and eternal outcomes, is by far worth the above. There is something that we can all do. Many talk, but without action, children still sit there. Many go and spend a few hours a month or fill shoe boxes once a year, but how many actually are willing to make the long term sacrifice and effort to spend years discipling and disciplining and loving an unlovely child to adult hood as a covenant blessing?
Oh well, so sorry for the side ramble there. Here I sit at 3:00 am feeding babies and in major pain in my collar bone area from carrying Ethan around in the sling all evening. Don’t know what I pulled/strained. Anyway, the thoughts just run through my head.
Is it hard? Of course. Many say that they want children, but getting them is hard, so they just talk. Many say that they want to help orphans, but the sacrifices that it takes to make real and serious change in lives, is hardship. None of us want hardship. I don’t either. Sometimes I think we are nuts too. So why should I be at all surprised when someone “normal” thinks that? Ha! -kathy
I totally understand this post. I am saddened that so many, including those in both sides of my family, do not. Culture is what has pulled so many away from the Truth of the Word. God has made us for His glory and for ‘relationships’! He has given us a family structure which provides those relationships (whether naturally born or adopting or welcoming a widow) as illustrations of His own relationship with us. Why then do we say “No, Lord – it’s not ‘normal’ to have 8 kids or live within my means for the sake of another person added to the family”?
My parents thought we were pushing it to have a 4th child (they are not believers) and my in-laws, although they say they support us, constantly remark about the stress & chaos that it causes. Well, duh! Adding a family member isn’t about making life easy – it’s about God and His will for the family! People always ask me whether we will have more kids and I never know what to say to them because I know that they, with their 1.5 children and tubes tied, would not understand that I really don’t feel I can tell God “No!” as if it is truly my choice. We pray to know His timing and we do have a plan….but we consider it an ‘open’ plan – open for His leading. I have found that the times when I feel like it’s time to ‘be done’ with babies, are the times when I am focusing on my SELF, my stress (usually a consequence of not following Him anyway), my body (“Oh woe is me that I’m tired of pregnancy/nursing” when I’m oh, so blessed to have a womb that works), or my money (as I sigh at the worn look of the kids’ clothing or the size of the grocery bill).
My thought on this post: God is soveriegn, trust in His leading and He will provide what you need, even if you don’t know what you need. Helping the widows/orphans or adding babies is a blessing, not a burden….
Our site was down for a good chunk of today…server issues. Then it was connected with some strange site…I’m finally, getting to respond to your responses.
Thank you for the encouragement. I have wondered a big chunk of the day, in my “not trusting God” moments, if maybe we are making a mistake. Then I come and read such encouragement, such conviction…it reminds me that we are not alone in this. He brought each of you. Thank you for taking the time to comment. To encourage, to believe yourselves that God has a heart for children.
Blessings,
Trish